June 25, 1991: How Slovenia and Croatia Delivered the Death Blow to Yugoslavia and Started a War!
Did you know that June 25, 1991, marked the beginning of the end for Yugoslavia? On that day, the Slovenian and Croatian parliaments unilaterally declared independence from the SFRY, sparking the bloody breakup of a country.
What exactly happened?
Slovenia and Croatia decided on June 25 that they no longer wanted to be part of Yugoslavia. Although the Federal Council of the SFRY immediately declared these decisions unconstitutional, Slovenian forces under the Ljubljana government quickly began seizing border crossings and removing Yugoslav symbols.
The Federal Executive Council ordered the JNA to take control of border crossings with Hungary, Austria, and Italy, but it was clear that conflict was inevitable.
The start of the Ten-Day War
Slovenian Territorial Defense and police fired on JNA soldiers on June 27, marking the start of a ten-day armed conflict. Slovenian forces numbered around 35,000, blocking JNA convoys and intensifying attacks.
Although the JNA managed to seize most border crossings, clashes continued. Around 45 JNA members and 18 Slovenians were killed, with many wounded.
International community and the Brioni Agreement
On June 28, the European Community announced a suspension of economic cooperation with Yugoslavia and offered “good offices” to ease the conflict.
The Brioni Agreement, signed on July 7, imposed a three-month moratorium on secession. However, it was clear that Yugoslavia was irreversibly breaking apart.
How did it come to this?
It all began with the breakup of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia in January 1990, when Slovenian and Croatian delegates left the congress. After multi-party elections in Slovenia and Croatia, opponents of a negotiated solution to the Yugoslav crisis came to power.
Independence referendums were held in December 1990 in Slovenia and May 1991 in Croatia, with majorities supporting the new authorities.
What next?
After the ten-day war in Slovenia, conflicts spread to Croatia and other parts of the former Yugoslavia, leading to years of wars and massive human and material losses.
Conclusion
June 25, 1991, was not just a date on the calendar – it was the beginning of the end of a country and the start of a bloody breakup that forever changed the fate of the region.
If you think history is boring, think again! Who is to blame? Could Yugoslavia have survived? Share your thoughts, maybe together we can uncover what really happened!
This is just a brief summary of events that changed the world in the Balkans. If you love history, politics, and drama, leave a comment and share your opinion!
