Montenegro Refuses to Join Elections

Montenegro, Serbia’s junior partner in the Yugoslav federation, refused pleas to reconsider its decision to boycott next month’s Yugoslav national elections. Serbian opposition leaders pleaded with Montenegrin officials to join the opposition at the polls to confront Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic in a united bloc. But agreeing to take part in the elections would be seen in the Western-oriented smaller republic as a loss of prestige because it would be acknowledging the authority of Serbia over Montenegro.