Tito’s reforms shake Jugoslav leaders

Press, 29 September 1979, Page 16

Tito’s reforms shake Jugoslav leaders

Bv

LAJOS LEDERE

in Belgrade

President Tito has begun far-reaching changes in the Yugoslav Communist Party statutes will affect the position of every member of the party.

The 87-year-old heretic of the Communist world is deeply disappointed with the workings of the collective leadership which he initiated 10 years ago and is determined. against strong opposition, to eliminate its weaknesses to secure a more stable changeover when he leaves the stage.

The most important of these chang* is the speeding up of job rotation in the party and State apparatus, apparently to discover political talent among the young generation.

Under the reforms, the jobs of everyone in all party and State offices now come up for confirmation annually, instead of every four years. Tito says that the plan aims to prevent “bureaucratic monopolism." the under-mining of certain pedple and the dangerous careerism that has flourished in the party.

A look at the new houses and villas all over the country and the new cars choking the pavements of every town, shows what Tito is afraid of and intends to change. He fears that idealism is dying out in the generation which helped him to create the new Yugoslavia, and he is now putting his faith in the young. Tito’s main worry is not the Kremlin, with which he has recently been on very good terms. He knows better than anyone that the real dangers in his land are the disgruntled nationalities, who need very patient but firm handling. Four men he formerly hoped would succeed him are now out of the race. Two. Milovan Djilas and Alexander Rankovic, the

former head of the police, have been dropped for alleged action against the party and State interests.

Vladimir Bakaric, the veteran Croat leader, is out because of ill-health, and the most likely successor. Edward Kardelj, died recently.

There is widespread anxiety at home and abroad about the post-Tito era. Tito has not dropped the idea of collective leadership itsef but is believed to be disappointed with some of the men elected to the leadership bodv since it began 10 years ago. Strong resistance to the reforms is growing in the Communist Party throughout the country and among top leaders. Attempts to persuade Tito to withdraw his plans have been kept secret.

Close friends of the President say the attempts caused the fall of manyheads, including the surprise removal of Stane Dolanc. the secretary of the Praesidium. who ranked second to Tito. Just before Tito left for the Non-Aligned Conference in Havana he tackled this resistance with unusual vigour, seeing more than 100 top party functionaries in a week at Brioni.

Tito has not given in. There will be no more jobs for services rendered during the partisan war or to the party since the war

eiided. From now on only merit will count. This latest succession crisis has not arisen because of fears that the Preseident is nearing death. He is in better shape than a year ago, except for trouble with his eyes.

His triumph in Havana and his hero’s welcome home have given him new impetus to carry on.

Tito is especially gratified that the Soviet President (Mr Brezhnev) kept his assurances, given in Moscow last May, concerning the Havana conference. Tito’s address in Havana was published in “Pravda” and “Izvestia” in full, with comments that his stand is for peace. This is the first time since the break with Moscow that Tito has received such treatment by the Russians. — O.F.N.S. Copyright.

Palace bombed

Guerrillas hurled bombs atj the National Palace in San; Salvador yesterday andi troops opened fire, sending! pedestrians fleeing the scene in panic, witnesses reported.' Rescue officials in the Central] America city said at least, seven people were killed and 30 wounded. The shooting came on the eve of a planned march by Leftists to the Labour Ministry, eight blocks from the palace, which has been occupied by demonstrators since late last‘week.— San Salvador.