Self-determination under attack THE occupation of Slovenia by the
Yugoslav Federal Army, following the declaration of independence by that republic and neighbouring
Croatia on January 25, marks the climax of a long process of disintegration of the Yugoslav federation.
As we have explained in previous issues of /V, the prime movers in this process have been, firstly, the leadership of the country's largest republic, Serbia, which has reacted viciously to attempts by ethnic Albanians, other non-Serbs and democratic forces in Serbia itself to gain greater respect for their rights; and secondly the (Serb-dominated) federal army, anxious to defend the existing form of union, in which it enjoys a privileged position.
The Slovenian government is made up of a coalition of right and centre parties known as Demos.
The directly elected president is Milan Kucan of the Party of Democratic Renewal (the former Communist Party). A referendum on independence in December last year produced a 93% vote in favour, on an 88% turnout. However, Slovene leaders left the door open to the idea of rejoining a transformed Yugoslav confederation, insisting that the final outcome depended on events elsewhere.
Before June 26, US Secretary of State James Baker informed Kucan that neither the US nor the European Community would recognize an independent Slovenia. This would, in the eyes of the West's leaders, "send the wrong signals" to the Baltic States, Georgia and Slovakia, and jeopardize the sacrosanctity of existing state unities. Following the clashes in Slovenia - which may well be followed by much worse, both there and in Croatia - the
Western leaders will be making noises of sympathy with the breakaway republics, while attempting to get them to back off from the exercise of their self-determination. The new "Conflict Prevention Centre" in
Vienna will get its first chance to show if the West can control events in Eastern Europe.
Thus, support for the right of Slovenia and Croatia to self-determination needs to be coupled with vigilance over moves by the Western powers to use the crisis to assert their "right to interfere" in Eastern Europe. — Colin Meade *
YUGOSLAVIA / THIRD WORLD DEBT