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ChApter 2
defense in accordance with the Law.” Article 135 states: “[I]f acts of
the federal state or any [other] republic are contrary to the rights and
duties which the Republic of Serbia has, or jeopardizes its interests,
and compensation is not secured, Serbian republic organs will introduce
acts in order to protect the interest of Serbia” 225 In its relations
with other republics, the ypa continued to profess defence of the sfry
Constitution, overlooking the fact that Serbia, in the formal legal
sense, had, by adopting a new constitution that unilaterally amended
the federal constitution of 1974, dealt a fatal blow to the Yugoslav
federation.
The ypa also raised no objections to a series of actions by
Milošević that led to the ouster of the political leaders of Vojvodina,
Kosovo, and Montenegro; nor did it respond directly to increasingly
bitter attacks on Tito’s legacy by Serbian leaders and their allies in
other parts of the country. In turning a blind eye to unconstitutional
acts committed by Milošević and his supporters, the Army had the
tacit support of other republics, which hoped that Milošević’s appetite
would stop with Kosovo and Vojvodina.
THE ARMY’S MINDSET
The ypa was not a homogenous army. Its top echelons were
divided into three factions: Titoist-centralist and pro-Yugoslav,
Greater Serbian, and one that advocated professionalism and depoliticization.
General Špegelj claimed in an interview 226 that these divisions
pervaded not only the high command but also the entire officer
corps.
Notwithstanding these divisions, the Army leaders’ views on
domestic and external issues coalesced around a few main themes,
with little variation: Yugoslavia, they believed, was exposed to a
“Special War” in which the enemy was aggressive and reactionary
225 Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Savremena administracija 1997 .
226 Telegraf, November 2, 1994