July 7, 2000
Montenegro's government urgently debated Friday whether to break from Yugoslavia and risk military intervention or submit to oppressive new measures imposed by Slobodan Milosevic's regime. The high-stakes meeting came after Yugoslavia's parliament changed the federation's constitution, tightening Milosevic's grip on power and degrading Montenegro's status.
The parliament of Montenegro, Serbia's much smaller partner in the Yugoslav federation, was expected to pass a resolution later Friday rejecting the constitutional amendments and the authority of the federal institutions.
Montenegro's pro-Western leadership has slowly been concentrating power in the republic, in what is known as ``creeping independence.'' The only remaining federal institution in the republic is the Yugoslav army, which could intervene if Montenegro proclaims outright independence.
Still, the reformist leadership has refrained from full independence, fearing military intervention by Milosevic, the Yugoslav president. The Montenegrin leadership also lacks support from the United States and other nations, which fear a new Balkan war.
Montenegrins are themselves deeply divided into pro-Serb and pro-independence camps.
Under the constitutional amendments, both the Yugoslav president and parliament's upper house will be chosen in a popular vote. Montenegro has only 600,000 people, compared to Serbia's 10 million. A direct election of the president and the legislators cuts its influence in the federation, concentrating power in Milosevic's hands. The upper house currently includes 20 deputies from Serbia and 20 from Montenegro, all chosen by both republics' parliaments. Assembly members elected the Yugoslav president.
Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic warned Thursday that by adopting the amendments, Milosevic's regime had destroyed the ``federal constitutional system.'' Djukanovic did not call for outright independence, but other senior Montenegrin officials indicated the amendments enacted in Belgrade could quicken the pace.
Milosevic's allies argued that direct election would confer ``the greatest possible democratic legitimacy'' to the institution of the president. They challenged the opposition to compete with Milosevic in an election.
Although the Serb leader's popularity is believed to have plummeted since last year's NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, he is still in full control of the media and state institutions -- limiting the opposition's chances for a fair election race. Serbia's opposition has historically been weak and divided, another factor making it unlikely a viable rival candidate could be found.
Milosevic has been indicted by an international war crimes tribunal for atrocities committed during his crackdown in Serbia's Kosovo province, which triggered last year's 78-day NATO bombing campaign. Staying in power would be Milosevic's best guarantee against prosecution.
