Serbia Approves Deal to Bury Yugoslavia

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 28, 2003

Serbia Approves Deal to Bury Yugoslavia

Serbia's parliament adopted a Western-backed accord on Monday to ditch the bloodied Yugoslav federation in favor of a loose union with the coastal republic of Montenegro.

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Serbia's parliament adopted a Western-backed accord on Monday to ditch the bloodied Yugoslav federation in favor of a loose union with the coastal republic of Montenegro.

Serbia and Montenegro -- which would also be the name of the new union -- are the only two republics remaining in Yugoslavia after the old six-member socialist federation collapsed in bloodshed during the rule of Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s.

If the Montenegrin and the federal parliaments follow suit and approve the agreement, the name Yugoslavia will be consigned to history after almost 75 years' existence in various forms.

The 250-seat assembly voted with 166 deputies for and 47 against the deal reshaping the federation into a union of Serbia and Montenegro. After also backing implementing legislation, the assembly hall erupted in loud applause.

Montenegro is expected to pass the new union's constitutional charter when its parliament meets on Tuesday. It will formally become a reality once it is approved by the federal parliament at a session which has yet to be called.

Serbian and Montenegrin leaders agreed under European Union pressure last year to stay together for now in a union leaving most powers in the hands of the republics, but it took them almost a year of wrangling to finalize the deal.

Montenegro reluctantly bowed to Western pressure and shelved plans for breaking away from dominant Serbia for at least three years, when both sides have the right to go it alone.

Serbia and Montenegro would have a president, to be elected by a 126-strong parliament, as well as a council of ministers including ministers for the defense and foreign affairs.

Source: Agencies

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