The Position of Slovenian Representatives in Disputes in the Leadership of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia from 1986 to 1988
Abstract
The study focuses on the large changes in the attitudes of the leading Slovenian politicians in 1986-1988 in the context of discussions at the Presidium of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (LCY). In that period, Slovenian communists moved closer to the ideas of the opposition in their republic and further from the opinions of the other Yugoslav leaders regarding the organisation of the federation.
The process is illustrated by three topics, intensely debated in the federal party centre at the time. The first one is the situation in Kosovo and the efforts of Serbia to acquire more powers in both its autonomous provinces, in which it was to a considerable extent supported by Slovenia at least until the export of mass rallies from Serbia to Montenegro in October 1988.
The second issue was the activities of the liberal and nationalist opposition in Slovenia, worrying the members of the LCY Presidium but gradually getting more accepted by the Slovenian communists. Finally, the debates on changes to the Yugoslav constitution are presented, with the Slovenian leaders reversing their initial consent to transfer some powers to the federation after negative reactions from the local public.