It has been 19 years since the mass demonstrations in Belgrade which ended the rule of Slobodan Milosevic on 5 October 2000.

People took to the streets in Belgrade because Milosevic refused to accept the results of the presidential election in then-Yugoslavia. He lost that election on September 24, 2000, to Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) leader Vojislav Kostunica.

Protesters from all over the country gathered at a plateau in front of the then Federal Assembly on October 5. There were motorcades several dozens of kilometres long on their way to Belgrade and people used bulldozers to break through police roadblocks.

In the morning, police used tear gas to prevent protesters from entering the Assembly, but to no avail. The Federal Assembly building was demolished and set on fire, as well as the seat of the public broadcaster (RTS) in Takovska Street.

The police soon joined the protesters.

In the evening, the new President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, addressed the citizens from the terrace of the Belgrade Parliament. Milosevic acknowledged his defeat on the next day and congratulated him.

Jasmina Jovanovic, from the central town of Milosevac, was killed in the demonstrations when she fell under the wheels of a truck, while Momcilo Stakic, from the western town of Krupanj, passed away from a heart attack. 65 people were injured.

The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Cedomir Jovanovic, said he was proud of October 5, 2000.

Socialist Party of Serbia officials and one of the founders of the party, Milutin Mrkonjic, said that he was surprised by the events of that day did not expect it to happen.

“Serbia is a patchwork for 19 years after October 5, and we have been patching ourselves up since the (2003) murder of (former Prime Minister) Zoran Djindjic – we have some economic growth, but we also have people on the streets,” Professor at Philosophy Faculty Nikola Samardzic told N1.

His colleague from the Faculty of Political Science, Djordje Pavicevic, pointed out that insisting on election results back then represents one of the biggest achievements from October 5th. Pavicevic said that people might have overblown expectations if they believe that something should have significantly changed after the protest.

Samardzic said that a lot has happened in the period after October 5, but that the same topics and issues remained unresolved as until then.