By Misha Savic
Associated Press Writer
Monday, Oct. 16, 2000; 11:15 a.m. EDT

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia –– Yugoslavia's crown prince has launched an ambitious tour of the land of his ancestors, returning home now that the communist era is over and President Slobodan Milosevic has been ousted.

Crown Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic arrived in Belgrade on Sunday a beaming, optimistic royal, shaking hands with well-wishers and politicians.

"I came to a new, liberated Serbia," said the 55-year-old heir to the defunct throne who has lived in exile because his father, King Peter II, the last ruling monarch, fled the country in 1941. Serbia is the larger of Yugoslavia's two remaining republics and the ancestral land of the Karadjordjevic dynasty.

Still, the crown prince remained evasive about what role, if any, he would like to play in a post-Milosevic Yugoslavia.

Asked Sunday if he will try to reclaim the throne, Karadjordjevic said only: "What I suggest is that we go on with democracy."

In the past, he has said the royal family should return to Yugoslavia without specifying if members of the dynasty were planning to reclaim the throne. So far, however, he has made no statement as to what role he would like to play in the country.

On Monday, the prince planned to head into central Serbia to tour major cities. This visit was the most extensive planned by Karadjordjevic to date.

Some 250 people came to the airport Sunday to greet him, chanting: "Long live the King," and "Stay with us."

The prince, who resides in London, warned that Milosevic, who now lives under virtual house arrest after recent street riots swept him from power, may not be totally defeated.

"Reactionary forces are still giving resistance, but not for long," Karadjordjevic said.

Founded originally as a monarchy, Yugoslavia became a communist-run federation after World War II. Members of the dynasty were banned from returning and their property was confiscated.

Karadjordjevic was first allowed to return in 1992, but only briefly, and he soon began to openly criticize Milosevic for destructive policies.

When the 18 opposition parties joined forces earlier this year to oust Milosevic, Karadjordjevic openly endorsed them and their presidential candidate, Vojislav Kostunica. With their win, he again praised them for "leading the country to true democracy."

Kostunica became president Oct. 7, after massive riots against Milosevic who tried to rig results of the Sept. 24 elections to stay in power.

On Sunday Karadjordjevic met with Kostunica and also with the head of Serb Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle.

"Today, the important thing to do is to bring aid to the people and that the EU nations as well as the United States keep their word and help," he said.

There have been no reliable opinion polls recently on whether the monarchy should be restored. But polls in the mid-1990s showed a solid one-third support for the idea and more than two-thirds overall saying they wouldn't object if it would bring stability.

"I lived for this day. Thank God that he is here again," said florist Leposava Mihajlovic, 62, among those who turned up to greet the prince. "There should be a plebiscite so people can decide" on possible restoration, she said.

Kostunica has suggested the issue could be decided by the people but has placed priority on economic recovery after decades of communist rule followed by the Milosevic years, which led to widespread poverty.

In neighboring Bulgaria and Romania, monarchies were also abolished after World War II, but have not been restored despite the collapse of communism.