General information
Part of Conflict: Serbia (Yugoslavia): Slovenia
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1989-09-01
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: In September 1989, the Republic of Slovenia voted to adopt amendments to its constitution, affirming its sovereignty and its right to secede from Yugoslavia. After having won the (first multiparty) republican elections in April-May 1990, Milan Kucan and the pro-independent coalition of parties called DEMOS began moving Slovenia in the direction of complete independence. In early July 1990 sovereignty was claimed and on 25 June 1991 independence was declared by the Slovenian authorities.
Date of first use of armed force: 1991-06-27
Comment on date of first use of armed force: The JNA units stationed in Slovenia were mobilised on full combat alert on this date. Frontier crossings were taken by the JNA amid gunfire. The Slovenes struck back, e.g. by shooting down JNA helicopters. Among other things, the JNA army aimed at seizing the airport.
First Battle Related Death: 1991-06-27
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On the first day of war, casualties took place on both sides. The JNA sustained more deaths that the Slovenes.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1991-06-28
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: In the first two days of fighting, 26 battle-related deaths were reported to have taken place.
Conflict issues
Conflict Goal Issues: The Republic of Slovenia was a Slovenian nationalist secessionist group that emerged in 1990 fighting against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) to establish an independent Slovenian state. The group emerged with claims to independence in June 1990, which was the group’s first pronounced conflict goal issue.
As the conflict emerged in 1991, the Republic of Slovenia began pronouncing several further conflict goal issues. The group reaffirmed its commitment to establishing an independent Slovenian state, but also called for the establishment of a democratic system to ensure civil and human rights as well as freedom of association. The group also called for foreign policy and economic reforms to initiate a more Western and liberal system within Slovenia, this also included the peaceful dissolution of the FRY and citizenship reforms to grant Slovenian people Slovenian citizenship and Slovenian people’s freedom from Yugoslav mandatory military service.
Whilst continuity and frequency are difficult to establish due to the brief duration of the conflict, the most heavily emphasized issue by the Republic of Slovenia was the establishment of Slovenian independence, which is considered the group’s main issue.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: The Republic of Slovenia released no statements pertaining to conflict dynamics during its first year of existence. During 1991, the group did, however, call upon the international community to influence the FRY to adhere to a peaceful implementation of Slovenian sovereignty and for the international community to recognize the Republic of Slovenia as independent. The group also called attention to the military conduct of Yugoslav forces during the conflict. As no issues were stated with continuity, no main conflict dynamics issue was interpreted.
Conflict Resolution Issues: Whilst no conflict resolution issues were raised in 1990, the Republic of Slovenia began stating issues in 1991. They called for negotiations to be held with the Yugoslav government, intending for the FRY to be dissolved peacefully and “in a friendly way”. The group also stated its opposition to a proposed disarmament of its military units, as this disarmament would not affect the Yugoslav People’s Army which would give the Yugoslav military an advantage. As no issues were stated with continuity, no main conflict resolution issue was interpreted.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Rule of law, Citizenship reforms, Civil rights, Constitutional issues, CPS: Democracy, Economic reforms, Foreign policy reform, Freedom of association, Independence, Restructure military forces
Conflict Dynamics Issues: IFI: Recognition, IFI: Use of foreign influence, Military conduct
Conflict Resolution Issues: Call for negotiations, Opposition to DDR Issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1989
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia)): n/a
Side B (Republic of Slovenia): n/a
1991
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 64 |
| Best | 64 |
| Low | 64 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia)): n/a
Side B (Republic of Slovenia): n/a
Peace agreements
Name of peace agreement: Brioni Agreement
Date when warring parties signed the agreement: 1991-07-12
Comment of peace agreement: Peace process agreement
On 7 July, the parties met to discuss the ECs proposal of a partial peace agreement. The proposal included a three-month suspension in the implementation of Slovenias dissociation from Yugoslavia. During this period, negotiations would begin on the future of all the republics. The proposal also included that the Croat Stipe Mesic should be elected as President of the Federal Presidency as well as an immediate cessation of hostilities. Furthermore, Slovenian police would be allowed to control the republics international borders, while the JNA would take control of security for the period of three months.
Up to 50 European observers would also be brought in to protect the cessation of hostilities. The peace agreement must be seen as partial as it touched upon the incompatibility but did not fully regulate or solve the matter of dispute.
The incompatibility dissolved when Slovenia seceded from Yugoslavia, and thus no comprehensive agreement followed upon this peace process agreement.
Signatories: The Slovenian government (President Milan Kucan, Prime Minister Lojze Peterle, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel), the Yugoslavian Collective Federal Presidency, the Croatian government
Comment of signatories: Comprehensive peace agreement
The Brioni agreement was signed by the Slovenian government on 10 July, by the Yugoslavian Collective Federal Presidency on 12 July and by the Croatian government on 9 July.
Third parties: EC representatives: the foreign ministers of Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy, European observers.
Comment of third parties role in peace agreement: The EC representatives chaired the meeting on 7 July that outlined the peace agreement. Deployment of 30 - 50 European observers was one of the clauses of the agreement.
Comment of Duration: The peace agreement was not broken, yet, its implementation did not proceed without problems. The withdrawal of troops began almost immediately after the agreement. However, when signing the agreement, the Yugoslavian Collective Federal Presidency imposed a number of new demands, for instance the return of the Slovenian borders to the situation prior to 25 June. Slovenia ignored these demands. Negotiations on the future of Yugoslavia started on 22 July, but broke down when Croatian President Tudjman refused to cooperate with the Serbian republic. The republic of Slovenia respected the moratorium on the implementation of its independence. However, in October, when the moratorium had expired, Slovenia formally ended its association with Yugoslavia even though there had been no official conclusion of the future of the Yugoslavian republics.
Full-text peace agreement
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1989 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
1991 Dyad Archive
Comment on Yearly Battle Related Deaths: Several sources estimated that around 50 battle-related deaths occurred. One source gave the exact information that 47 JNA soldiers and 6 Slovenian soldiers died in fights. The total death figure in the conflict was around 60. It was not clear whether these additional people died as a direct result of battles or not.
Comment on Active: On 27 June, the JNA attacked the republic of Slovenia. However, the JNA consisted of demoralised soldiers, whereas the Slovenians had strong motivation and defended themselves in a successful way. The Slovenians employed guerrilla tactics against the superior numbers of JNA troops. A ceasefire was agreed on after one day of fighting, but the war resumed shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Further ceasefires were also broken. 10 days after the armed force started, a partial peace agreement was formulated and the conflict came to an end.
Negotiations: YES
Comment on Negotiations: On 29 June, the Yugoslav Prime Minister Ante Markovic met with the President of the Slovenian Republic, Milan Kucan. An agreement was reached that built on the parties separate meetings with the EC representatives the previous day (SEE THIRD PARTY). It read that the JNA troops should return to their barracks. After Milan Kucan had been elected as new President of the Federal Presidency, the parties met again for negotiations on 2 July. Subsequently, a ceasefire was initiated and the conflict deescalated. On 7 July, talks, chaired by the EC representatives, continued between the parties. The meeting laid the foundation for the Brioni peace agreement.
Victory: NO
Comment on Victory: No official victory took place. The conflict was terminated by a partial peace agreement. Yet, in reality, the rapid termination of the conflict was to a great extent due to the Slovenians successful campaign of resistance. Slovenia was recognised as an independent state by the UN in May the following year. Thus, concerning the incompatibility, it can be argued that Slovenia was the victorious party.
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Peace Agreement
Date of termination: 1991-07-12
Comment on Termination: A partial peace agreement, brought about as a result of EC pressure, terminated the armed force. The success of the Slovenian Territorial Defence Force during the fights was also a significant factor in bringing the armed force to an end.
Comment on Termination Date: On 12 July 1991 the Brioni agreement was signed by the parties.
