NID: YUGOSLAVIA: PARTY ENDORSES END TO POLITICAL MONOPOLY

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe: A 30-Year Legacy
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06826841
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 26, 2019
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2019
• Publication Date: December 29, 1989

Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826841
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NR Record
YUGOSLAVIA: Party Endorses End to Political Munopoly
A Yugoslav Communist party Central Committee plenum preparing
for a national party congress next month has approved draft stands
that would eliminate the party's political moncpoly, lift restrictions
on political activity, and allow direct secret ballot elections. The
plenum stopped short of advocating a multiparty system. probably
because of opposition from the Army and strongman Milosevic in
Serbia. The five other republics have called for multiparty elections,
and at least Slovenia and Croatia are planning free elections in the
spring.
Comment: The party's draft positions are a compromise. Party leaders
probably fear that a more explicit stand on the multiparty system
would encourage new conflict by Serbia against Slovenia and Croatia
and possibly precipitate a breakup of the national party. The congress
probably will adopt the compromise. opening the door for free
elections in most of Yugoslavia by the end of 1991. Milosevic's
refusal to keep pace with growing reform sentiment may further
isolate him in the federation and erode his poer base in Serbia.
Miloseric probably would answer any challenge to his authority with
purges or a crackdown.
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TCS 3001/89
2.) December 1989
Approved for Release: 2019/10/29 C06826841