Split of New Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Accelerates

It was 1946 when the name of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia first appeared in history. Under the readership of Josef Broz Tito, a fighter for the national independence against Nazi Germany, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was founded with six republics and two self-governing states. However, due to the influences from the death of Tito, the dismantling of former U.S.S.R. and other communist countries in Eastern Europe, the federal collapsed in 1991 after a civil war. Four republics including Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence one after another. The new Federal Republic of Yugoslavia formed in 1992 consists of two republics and two self-governing states (Voivodina, Kosovo).

The parliament of Montenegro Republic, a supporting group of Milosevic, acknowledged the joint government of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on 2nd. The DPS, the majority party, had won an overwhelming victory from the April general election with a pledge to separate from the federation. The new prime minister and 15 ministers out of 19 cabinet members all belong to the DPS.

It has been known that the new Prime Minister Fillip Vujanovic will likely determine to separate their republic from the federation with a poll this fall. Prime Minister Vujanovic said, ``Montenegro is no longer supposed to be dragged by Serbia. The new cabinet will negotiate on the new form of the federation system presented by Montenegrin President Milo Dukanovic.``

Earlier, President Dukanovic proposed a `loosened-form of federation` in which the country becomes an independent country but the boundaries of the country remain open.

But the public opinion does not all agree with such independent movement. They argue that Montenegro, a republic with population of 6.5 million, cannot be financially and militarily independent separated from Serbia, a republic that has same religion (Serbian Orthodox) and same ethnic composition (Serbian) and history with Montenegro.

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic persuaded the Montenegro Republic on 2nd to remain in the federation by saying, ``Independence of Montenegro will bring about the breakup of the Yugoslav Federation and also will bring on an independence movement of the self-governing state of Kosovo as well. He suggested President Dukanovic to enact a new constitutional law for the federation that gives the authority regarding only on national defense, diplomacy, and currency.

Prime Minister Djindjic indicated the possibility of the breakup of the federation by saying, ``Serbia needs to join the E.U. to be recognized as a part of the international society.``

Paik Kyung-Hak stern100@donga.com