World IN BRIEF : YUGOSLAVIA : Opposition Claims Election Victory

Leaders of a seven-party pro-independence coalition in the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia claimed victory in last Sunday’s elections. It was Yugoslavia’s first multi-party elections in more than half a century. With 85% of the vote counted, the Democratic United Opposition of Slovenia had 55% of the vote for the Parliament’s decision-making chamber while the Communists collected just 17.5%. Such a victory would end 45 years of Communist rule in the tiny republic. Joze Pucnik, the coalition’s candidate for president of Slovenia, said his main goal would be independence from Belgrade.