Inflation is rising constantly, even after the Christmas period. On December 30th of last year, one Deutschmark was worth 2,000 billion dinars. The following day that figure had climbed to 8,000. One of the countless revaluations of the dinar is in effect since January 1st: 1,000,000 dinars have become 1 dinar. But on January 3rd, a 50,000 dinar note was already being printed, while one Deutschmark was worth 20,000 dinars. Money has lost all value, and not just dinars but currency too. With the borders closed, the exchange of goods is becoming increasingly widespread.

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The socialist party cannot form a government alone because it lacks a majority in Parliament. The so-called opposition forces do not want to form a coalition with Milosevic's party. There is much talk about a national salvation government, and Djindjic (of the Serbian democratic party, ed.) is willing to be prime minister of this government. But not even a government of this kind can be effective, and chances are that new elections will be held in spring.

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Regarding the government's decision on the introduction of taxes for border-crossing, the forces of the democratic reform of Vojvodina, Petricevic's party and Veselinov's popular agrarian party have already announced that they will appeal to the Constitutional Court, while the municipal council of Kanjiza has already done so. There has been no reply so far.

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The miners and workers of the thermo-electric power plant of Kostolac are on strike.

Social unrest is likely even though there is no force in Serbia capable of guiding and coordinating these protests. The regime has complete control on the police and army, and today's dictatorship looks more and more like a military dictatorship.