Splitting Images

Constitutional changes: Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic spoke out on February 9 against changes in the Yugoslav Constitution because there is "no need but if someone asks for them" he threatened not to allow the changes "through the Montenegrin parliament".

The Federation: "the situation in the federal state is unsatisfactory, primarily because its institutions are not functioning in accord with the constitution of FR Yugoslavia," Djukanovic told Srpska Rec on April 8.

Economic Policy: Djukanovic warned on February 9 that his government asked for "the activating of the functions of the federal government" to stop inflationary trends.

Federal Laws and Capital Imports: Milutin Lalic, director of the Montenegrin economic restructuring and foreign investment agency, said on March 28 that despite the fact that a number of foreign businessmen visited the republic over the past few months most of the talks ended with no contracts because "federal regulations are a limiting factor", and added that "every specific deal or relationship with foreign partners has to get the approval of the federal government". Lalic feels that those powers should be lowered to republic level.

Independent Economic Policy: The Montenegro government can't wait long for adequate laws in the federation and it is intensely preparing guidelines for the development of privatization in the republic, deputy Prime Minister Asim Telacevic said on January 28. He specified that Podgorica is working independently on "legal additions to the Montenegrin privatization concept".

Free Trade Zones: Djukanovic said on January 27 that the federal government has reservations about the Montenegrin project of turning Montenegro into a free trade zone. "We will convince them that the project is not harmful to the federal government, but is profitable for it and both Serbia and Montenegro," he said.

Privatization: "The lack of an intention to resolve this capital economic and political issue at federal level and in the republic of Serbia casts doubts not only on a speedy reintegration into international trends and the renewal of relations with the international financial community but also on the adopted strategy and concept for Montenegro's economic development," Djukanovic said on February 9. The Montenegro government will call for the quick introduction of federal regulations on transition and changes in foreign trade laws, a March 22 statement from a republican government session said.

Price Control: Montenegro will insist on the federal government again taking control of prices and trade in grain and other agricultural products which affect living standards and other prices, Djukanovic said on February 9.

Pensions: The Montenegro government warned the federal government on April 12 that it has to meet its obligations towards the republic pension fund as soon as possible. The Podgorica government said the federal treasury owes it about 90 million dinars.

Visas: Montenegro's tourism minister Dragan Milic called on January 11 for the federal government to abolish visas for foreign nationals coming to Yugoslavia.

Customs: Four Podgorica companies started legal proceedings against the federal customs department and its chief Mihajl Kertes for "preventing them from dealing with foreign partners and causing huge damages," Monitor weekly reported in April.

Montenegro-NBJ: Djukanovic said the Yugoslav National Bank is not prepared to open the vital issue of the functioning of the financial system, and added that this government has prepared and activated several measures to correct negative economic trends.

Montenegro-IMF: "If Serbia has a problem with the privatization process, and it has, Montenegro should be allowed to join international financial institutions on its own," a round table debate organized in Podgorica by the economic restructuring and foreign investment agency said on March 28.

Foreign Currency Savings: Montenegro does not agree with the federal government proposal on ways to secure funds to repay the so-called old foreign currency savings to private citizens (January 17).

Airports and JAT: The federal constitutional court started proceedings on March 13 at the request of Montenegro's state prosecutor to assess the constitutionality of the law on founding the JAT public air traffic company. Under that law, JAT's entire property and the Belgrade airport became the property of the JAT public company which is owned by Serbia. The Montenegro prosecutor said that law violates the sovereign right of his republic as a member of the FRY federation, since JAT was founded under a decision by the government of the former Yugoslavia and Serbia cannot decided independently about its property.

Electric Power Companies: Montenegro electric power company director Slobodan Dakovic told a session of a government commission that he wants arbitration to resolve the dispute over prices between his company and its Serbian counterpart.

Sports Associations: Montenegro's sports associations will no longer recognize those federal sports associations which were not formed on a parity basis and in which Montenegrins do not feel equal, a meeting of the republics sports officials concluded on April 5. The meeting said there isn't a single federal association which is properly regulated and few which are based on parity between the republic associations. It added that the presidency of the Yugoslav Olympic Committee includes only one Montenegrin while its 46 member assembly has just three Montenegrins. Sports Minister Bozidar Ivanovic said Djukanovic will send a letter to federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic to ask for an immediate intervention to make sure federal sports associations are equality-based through the association of republic associations as a condition for their registration. Ivanovic warned that if those requests are not met the government and his ministry "will find other ways to present our athletes in international sports primarily by organizing competitions and turning to the Mediterranean". Montenegro's table tennis players and boxers left league competition last year and big problems are facing the karate, judo, skiing, diving associations while the republican university sports association has broken off relations with the federal and Serbian associations. The Montenegro karate association said on April 9 that it does not accept the competitions in Valjevo and Novi Sad as the Yugoslav championship but only as the Serbian championship.