On the 19th, the World Anti-imperialist Youth Platform organized an online lecture by Aleksandar Đenić, Executive Secretary of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia titled “Revolution and Counter-Revolution, the Experience of Yugoslavia”.
The lecture provided a comprehensive overview of the history of revolution and counter-revolution in modern and contemporary Yugoslavia—from the 1800s under Ottoman rule, through the Second World War and the era of Communist Party governance, to the imperialist-driven disintegration of Yugoslavia.
He noted that, prior to the Second World War, Yugoslavia experienced an influx of immigrants who opposed the Russian Revolution. During this period, the country faced severe social problems—over 80% of the population lived in extreme poverty, and illiteracy rates were alarmingly high.
While outlining the events of the Second World War, he explained that the Communist Party of Yugoslavia encouraged its members to resist fascism during the “April War”. Following Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, the Party decided to initiate armed resistance against the Nazis. An uprising began in Serbia on July 7 of the same year, leading to the establishment of the Užice Republic—a liberated territory spanning western Serbia and eastern Bosnia. Existing from September 24 to November 29, 1941, the Užice Republic became the center of partisan resistance and hosted the only weapons factory in occupied Europe that supplied arms for the anti-fascist struggle.
He pointed out the achievements of the socialist period in Yugoslavia, noting that by the late 1960s, industry had emerged as the dominant sector of the economy, while agriculture had increasingly taken on a secondary role. This structural transformation played a decisive role in the country’s modernization during the socialist era. He also emphasized that socialist Yugoslavia functioned as a sovereign state, exercising control over its territory and making decisions independently.
He further explained the disintegration of Yugoslavia, stating that the counter-revolutionary processes unfolding across Eastern Europe had a significant impact on Yugoslavia. Unlike other Eastern European countries, Yugoslavia did not experience large-scale mass protests; instead, pivotal decisions were made by the political elite. Under political pressure—particularly influenced by US’s Public Law that clearly reflected Washington’s intentions—Yugoslavia adopted a political party law, and each republic proceeded to hold separate elections. This sequence of events played a major role in accelerating the country’s disintegration.
He went on to explain that from that time onward, authoritarian regimes took turns in power, all of them commonly acting under the directives of Brussels and Washington. In this context, new pro-imperialist governments dismantled the socialist state and system, initiated widespread privatization, and began implementing neoliberal reforms. This, he summarized, marked the collapse of socialism in Yugoslavia.
He emphasized that while the people and the army of Yugoslavia were capable of defeating internal separatist forces, they could not fight both NATO and a civil war simultaneously. NATO’s bombing of Kosovo in 1999 brought devastating consequences, and NATO waged an aggressive propaganda campaign against both Yugoslavia and Serbia.
Concluding his lecture, he stated that the country must be liberated from NATO. Moreover, nationalist politics—which have fueled conflicts across the Balkans and other regions—are no longer needed. He stressed that their mission is to advance the struggle against NATO and nationalism in order to build genuine cooperation.
