- The Guardian,
- Tuesday July 11 2000
Montenegro's lawmakers on Saturday backed their government's decision to reject Belgrade's changes last week to the federal constitution - amendments aimed at concentrating power into the hands of the Yugoslav president.
Mr Djukanovic said his republic, which forms Yugoslavia with Serbia, will not take part in federal elections scheduled by Mr Milosevic for the autumn.
"It is evident that Yugoslavia no longer exists," said Mr Djukanovic. "Instead of the two equal states - Montenegro and Serbia - we have a one-state model."
He said that with the latest federal constitutional changes - and Montenegro's decision to ignore them - his country "has practically left the constitutional and legal system of Yugoslavia".
"Milosevic's dilemma was Yugoslavia or the Hague... he chose to destroy Yugoslavia," Mr Djukanovic said.
Mr Milosevic was indicted by an international war crimes tribunal in the Hague for atrocities committed during his crack down in Serbia's Kosovo province, which triggered Nato's 78-day bombing campaign last year. Mr Milosevic appears to believe that staying in power is his best guarantee against prosecution by the UN war crimes court.
There are fears that Mr Milosevic, who started four Balkan wars, might intervene militarily against Montenegro if it proclaims outright independence. His Yugoslav Army remains the only federal institution still functioning in Montenegro.
AP
