Political Causes: Constitutional Reforms (1989-1994)
Slobodan Milosevic’s Rise to Power in Serbia (1986–1989)
- Turning point in Yugoslav politics
- Milosevic’s ascent marked a major shift in Yugoslavia.
- He openly embraced Serbian nationalism, something Tito had deliberately suppressed.
- To centralize control, he relied on mass rallies, media propaganda, and political purges (see more information on Milosevic in the corresponding section).
- Anti-bureaucratic revolution
- Milosevic replaced leaders in Vojvodina, Kosovo, and Montenegro with loyalists.
- This gave Serbia four votes in the eight-member federal presidency.
- The move was essential to his goal of establishing Serbian dominance within Yugoslavia.
Note
The Structure of Executive Power in Yugoslavia
- 1974 Constitution and power-sharing
- Yugoslavia adopted a collective leadership system instead of a single president.
- Power was designed to be shared equally among the six republics (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Serbia) and two autonomous provinces within Serbia (Vojvodina and Kosovo).
- Federal presidency
- Each of these eight units had one representative in the presidency.
- This meant the presidency was made up of eight members, each with one equal vote.
- It functioned as a collective head of state, with a rotating chairmanship.
- Major decisions had to be made by consensus or majority vote.
- Milošević’s disruption of balance
- After taking control of Serbia, Milošević installed allies in Kosovo, Vojvodina, and Montenegro.
- This gave Serbia control of over four out of the eight votes.
- The shift created a powerful bloc, upset the federal balance, and alarmed other republics, fueling Yugoslavia’s political unraveling.
Milosevic’s “Yogurt Revolution” and Moves in Kosovo (1988–1989)
- The Yogurt Revolution in Vojvodina (1988)
- Milosevic orchestrated a populist movement in Vojvodina, culminating in the removal of its leadership.
- Protesters symbolically threw yogurt at the provincial parliament, giving the movement its name.
- This was part of Milosevic’s calculated campaign to centralize power by weakening Yugoslavia’s federal structure.
- By replacing autonomous leaders in Vojvodina with loyalists, Milosevic gained an additional vote in the eight-member federal presidency. This was an essential step in his plan to dominate Yugoslav politics.
- Populist framing and Serbian nationalism
- Milosevic portrayed these interventions as a response to grassroots demands for Serbian unity and justice.
- He used populist imagery and rhetoric to legitimize his authoritarian ambitions.
- The “Yogurt Revolution” became a symbol of Serbian resurgence, supported by state media and heavily choreographed demonstrations.
- Slogans like “Kosovo is Serbia” were used to stoke ethnic nationalism and rally mass support.
- Moves against Kosovo (1988–1989)
- After dismissing Kosovo’s Communist leaders in 1988, Milosevic moved to revoke the autonomy the province had held under the 1974 constitution.
- Demonstrations by Albanian miners from Trepča were violently crushed.
- In March 1989, the Serbian-dominated federal government formally stripped Kosovo of self-rule.
Case study
The Trepča miners' demonstrations
- Background and cause
- In early 1989, thousands of ethnic Albanian miners at the Trepča mining complex in northern Kosovo went on strike.
- They were protesting the Serbian government’s plans to revoke Kosovo’s autonomy.
- The miners, working at one of Yugoslavia’s most valuable industrial sites, saw this as a direct threat to their political rights, cultural identity, and regional self-governance.
- Symbolism and resistance
- The Trepča miners quickly became symbols of Kosovo Albanian resistance.
- Their strike and march to Pristina gained huge symbolic importance, drawing attention across Yugoslavia.
- Although peaceful, the protest sent a strong political message: a challenge to Belgrade’s authority and a plea for international awareness.
- Government response
- The Yugoslav government, under Milošević’s control, responded with force.
- Riot police and tanks were deployed across Kosovo, particularly around Trepča and Pristina.
- The strike was crushed quickly, with several miners arrested or beaten.
- In Serbia, state media framed the strike as subversive and “counter-revolutionary.”
Milosevic’s Consolidation of Power and the 1989 Turning Point
- Constitutional Reform (March 1989)
- The Serbian parliament, under Slobodan Milošević, amended the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Serbia.
- This reform revoked the autonomy of the two autonomous provinces within Serbia: Kosovo and Vojvodina.
- The Beginning of the End of Yugoslavia
- The 1989 reform intensified ethnic tensions, weakened federal cohesion, and paved the way for secessionist movements and war.
- Many historians see this moment as the beginning of the end of Yugoslavia as a federation.
- The Gazimestan Speech (June 28, 1989)
- On the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo, Milošević delivered a dramatic speech at Gazimestan.
- He invoked historical grievances and future struggles, presenting a narrative of Serbian victimhood and heroism.
- Although not explicitly violent, his rhetoric was widely interpreted as a call to national awakening and resistance, with lines such as: “They are not armed battles, although such things cannot be excluded yet.”
- Alarm Among Other Republics
- Milošević’s actions deeply alarmed other Yugoslav republics, who feared a push for “Serbo-Slavia” hegemony.
- Leaders like Slovenia’s Milan Kučan accused him of undermining the federal balance.
- These moves further fueled secessionist movements and accelerated the collapse of Yugoslavia.
