4. An attempt to impose a state of emergency

An emergency session of the Yugoslav Presidency was convened in the Belgrade military compound in Topčider on March 12. For three full days, the Yugoslav nominal commanders-in-chief conferred with the military leadership, which demanded the move to code red and an introduction to a state of emergency. Federal minister of defense Veljko Kadiejvić travelled clandestinely between the sessions to meet with his Soviet counterpart Dimitry Jazov for coordination. However, the external support for the military plans flunked, and a divided Presidency could not make the call – representatives of Serbia, Montenegro, Vojvodina and Kosovo were in favor, but the representatives of Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina stood against. Consequently, Serbian representatives resigned, and Serbian President Slobodan Milošević publicly stated that Serbia will not be obliged to conform to the authority of the Yugoslav Presidency, leaving the audience pondering on what is to come.