The Federal Executive Council (FEC, Serbo-Croatian, Savezno izvršno vijeće (SIV), Савезно извршно веће (СИВ)) was the executive organ of the supreme organ of power, the Assembly of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). It was responsible for state affairs and for supervising the implementation of laws. It consisted of up to 15 members elected by the Federal Assembly for a four-year term and the presidents of executive councils of republics and provinces. The Federal Executive Council played an important role in the Government of the SFRY from its creation in 1953 until the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992.
Structure The FEC was led by a President (also called Prime Minister, especially outside Yugoslavia) and two vice presidents (deputy prime ministers), who were elected by the SFRY Federal Assembly on the nomination of the President. Council members (also called secretariats) were elected to equally represent the six republics of Yugoslavia, as well as the two autonomous regions in Serbia, Kosovo and Vojvodina. Both the President and council members of the FEC served terms of four years. The FEC President could not serve more than two consecutive terms, however council members were allowed to serve up to 3 terms under certain statutes. Elections for a new Federal Executive Council would take place after the creation of each new Federal Assembly and their respective constitutions. Members of the FEC automatically resigned their seats in the legislature when elected. The FEC President had the right to call a meeting of the council at any time. The President of the Republic or at least five council members also had the right to call a meeting as well.
The council was composed of six federal secretariats: People's Defence Foreign Affairs Internal Affairs Finances Justice Freight Transport
The Committee for Foreign Trade and 12 internal secretariats in: Administration Directorates Administrative institutions Inspectorates Commissions The Federal Executive Council as a whole was considered a cabinet if one was to compare SFR Yugoslavia to other countries at the time. The federal secretariats were the equivalent of ministries in other countries.
Responsibilities The FEC was responsible for most day to day tasks of the S.F.R.Y assembly. These included reviewing policy set by the S.F.R.Y assembly, creation of federal bills to be submitted to the S.F.R.Y assembly, submission of budget regulations for the Federal Budget, and adopting regulations to enforce Federal Statutes.
The creation of legislation could take the FEC about a year before it is sent to the Federal Assembly. In the 1970s, the FEC was behind the creation of legislation tackling controversial issues in Yugoslavia regarding the six republics. The FEC was one of the few bureaucratic bodies in Yugoslavia that had access to reliable information needed to create effective policies. The 1974 Constitution of Yugoslavia also gave the FEC the right to appoint council members to the new state presidency, which became the administration and command authority for the Yugoslav People's Army. They would appoint the councils of state security, national defense, foreign policy, and protection of the constitutional order.
History
Notable events During the 1953 revision of the Yugoslav Constitution, Josip Broz Tito was elected President of the Republic, who under the terms of the revised constitution was ex officio president of the new FEC, by a vote of 568-1. Under these revisions, the Yugoslav Government was to function without the Parliament until new elections could take place in the Spring of 1954. The Parliament selected thirty of its own members to serve in the FEC.
In 1962, the League of Communists of Yugoslavia planned a restructuring of the Yugoslav Government. They planned to add a "top council" led by a premier that would take over the role of the FEC, effectively dissolving the council. Any member in this new council could be removed by the Parliament at any time. The 1963 Yugoslav Constitution allowed a new council to be created, but did not dissolve the FEC. Instead, this new council would play a more local role, focusing on culture, social welfare, and public administration in the six republics. Up until 1963, the President of the Council was held simultaneously by the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After 1963, the president was separately elected by the Federal Assembly. No government official could hold two office positions at the same time after the 1963 Constitution excluding Tito.
The Council was housed in the SIV 1 building in Belgrade.
After Tito's death in 1980, many of the six republics began to demand more autonomy and were voicing their interest more aggressively. To try and settle negotiations, the FEC relied heavily on temporary measures outlined in the constitution. These measures could not be blocked by protesting delegations and could only be overturned by unanimous decision of the delegations. These measures, that were only supposed to be used for shot-term periods, were used extensively for long periods of time. The FEC's failure to create effective long-term legislation could be seen as one of the many factors leading up to the Breakup of Yugoslavia.
Councils Second Federal Executive Council of Josip Broz Tito The Second Federal Executive Council of Josip Broz Tito was Yugoslavia's national government from 30 January 1954 to 19 April 1958. Josip Broz Tito was its president, simultaneously also serving as president of the republic and president of the party. Portfolio Member Took office Left office Party Notes President President Josip Broz Tito 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 6 November 1944 Vice-Presidents Vice-President Edvard Kardelj 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 20 December 1951 Vice-President Aleksandar Ranković 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 4 July 1945 Vice-President Svetozar Vukmanović 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 20 December 1951 Vice-President Rodoljub Čolaković 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 State Secretaries Foreign Affairs Koča Popović 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 National Defense Ivan Gošnjak 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 17 November 1953 Interior Svetislav Stefanović 30 January 1954 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 National Economy Hasan Brkić 30 January 1954 1955 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 National Economy Ivica Gretić 1955 1956 SKJ Budget & State Administration Neda Božinović 30 January 1954 1956 SKJ Married to People's Hero Dobrivoje Radosavljević. Finance Avdo Humo 1956 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Commodity Trade Marijan Brecelj 1956 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Chairs Foreign Trade Hasan Brkić 1956 19 April 1958 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953
Third Federal Executive Council of Josip Broz Tito The Third Federal Executive Council of Josip Broz Tito was Yugoslavia's national government from 19 April 1958 to 29 June 1963. Josip Broz Tito was its president, simultaneously also serving as national president and general secretary of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Portfolio Member Took office Left office Party Notes President President Josip Broz Tito 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 6 November 1944 Vice-Presidents Vice-President Edvard Kardelj 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 20 December 1951 Vice-President Aleksandar Ranković 19 April 1958 18 April 1963 SKJ Resigned in April 1963 to become state Vice-President.People's Hero - 4 July 1945 Vice-President Svetislav Stefanović 18 April 1963 29 June 1963 SKJ Replaced Aleksandar Ranković in April 1963.People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Vice-President Mijalko Todorović 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 5 July 1952 Vice-President Rodoljub Čolaković 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 State Secretaries Foreign Affairs Koča Popović 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 National Defense Ivan Gošnjak 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 17 November 1953 Interior Svetislav Stefanović 19 April 1958 18 April 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Interior Vojin Lukić 18 April 1963 29 June 1963 SKJ Replaced Svetislav Stefanović in April 1963.People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Finance Nikola Minčev 19 April 1958 1962 SKJ Finance Kiro Gligorov 1962 29 June 1963 SKJ Commodity Trade Marijan Brecelj 19 April 1958 18 April 1963 SKJ People's Hero - 27 November 1953 Commodity Trade Dragutin Kosovac 18 April 1963 29 June 1963 SKJ Foreign Trade Nikola Džuverović 18 April 1963 29 June 1963 SKJ Chairs Foreign Trade Ljubo Babić 19 April 1958 1960 SKJ Foreign Trade Sergej Kraigher 1960 18 April 1963 SKJ Committee promoted to secretariat in April 1963.
Members ex officio Portfolio Member Took office Left office Party Notes Member Osman Karabegović 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Bosnia and Herzegovina. Member Jakov Blažević 19 April 1958 10 July 1962 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Croatia. Member Zvonko Brkić 19 April 1958 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Croatia. Member Ljupčo Arsov 19 April 1958 1961 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Macedonia. Member Aleksandar Grličkov 1961 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Macedonia. Member Filip Bajković 19 April 1958 12 July 1962 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Montenegro. Member Đorđije Pajković 12 July 1962 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Montenegro. Member Miloš Minić 19 April 1958 9 June 1962 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Serbia. Member Slobodan Penezić Krcun 9 June 1962 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Serbia. Member Boris Kraigher 19 April 1958 25 June 1962 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Slovenia. Member Viktor Avbelj 25 June 1962 29 June 1963 SKJ President of the Executive Council of PR Slovenia.
First Federal Executive Council of Džemal Bijedić The First Federal Executive Council of Džemal Bijedić was the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's national government from 30 July 1971 to 16 May 1974.