BELGRADERS WAIT IN THE LINE FOR PETROL, 1999-08-26 (photo)

Belgraders push their cars in a queue for petrol August 26. After months of shortages due to NATO air strikes, the Yugoslav Government is raising the price of petrol up to 10.6 dinars ( 1 USD $) per liter. Serbia's government, brushing aside the West's refusal to grant aid or investment while President Slobodan Milosevic remains in power, has promised a swift post-war recovery from NATO's recent air strikes. But reality is clouding the picture painted by pro-government media of a country busily rebuilding itself. The pro-government Politika daily said on Tuesday the Novi Sad refinery had restarted work and would refine 1,200 tonnes of crude a day, producing 850 tonnes of heating oil, 300 tonnes of diesel and 50 tonnes of petrol. IM/JDP