Tito's power gone

Press, 21 February 1980, Page 1

Tito's power gone

NZPA Belgrade The control of Yugoslavia has passed into the hands of the unglamorous collective leadership designed to succeed the ailing President Tito. The other eight members of the country’s nine-man presidency met this week to work out basic directions for Yugoslavia’s future foreign policy. The 165-member Communist Party Central Committee met yesterday in Belgrade to discuss the party’s fitness for carrying out the leading role in society. President Tito, aged 87, State President-for-life, remained gravely ill in hospital, suffering from comi plications ‘of a leg amputation on January 20. Members of the Tito- ; approved nine-man presi- ! dency met to discuss un- | specified organisational ; and constitutional issues, the national news agency said. The presidency and a ! similar 23-jnember group i in charge of the party, j have been in charge of ; Yugoslavia ever since President Tito first entered > hospital on January 3. : Before the onset of what were widely thought to be terminal complications, President Tito never resumed more than a small I share of his official duties, i Even when he was healthy enough to take an active part in government, the system he designed required that all members agree bn major moves.