YEARS OF TURMOIL

Yugoslavia’s tailspin into chaos began in 1980 with the death of Josip Broz Tito, the Communist strongman who built Yugoslavia’s complex political system with the aim of curbing the ethnic rivalries that now threaten to destroy it. The breakdown of the federation accelerated sharply after elections in the republics last year effectively handed power to six leaders with irreconcilable goals. The collective presidency has been paralyzed by disputes between Serbia and its allies on one hand and non-Communist republics including Croatia on the other. Ethnic violence has raged for months, with 19 people killed in eastern Croatia two weeks ago. Ethnic divisions in army ranks mirror those in the nation. “This unfortunate country is counting its last days,” the Slovenian daily Vecer said this week.