State Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Sandžak – main characteristics

Abstract

One of the regional councils of the National Liberation Movement (NOP) led by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia was the State Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Sandžak (ZAVNOS). This council was established in November 1943 in Pljevlja, at a time when the town was under the control of the National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (NOVJ). ZAVNOS was abolished at the end of March 1945, in conditions when the victory of the NOP was quite obvious. Afterward, its existence was largely ignored by the regime historiography, which was reflected in the few available sources about its activities. However, the available sources show the decision on its establishment, the NOP authorities involved in its formation, the names of its leaders headed by its Executive Board Chairman Sreten Vukosavljević, and the fact that its tasks were to supply food to members of the NOVJ and organization of civil medical personnel. Also, ZAVNOS printed its newsletter called "Glas Sandžaka". These facts indicate that the ZAVNOS government in that area was real and not just declarative.

At the head of ZAVNOS was the Executive Board, which had a president and two vice presidents. According to the available sources the president of ZAVNOS's Executive Board was Sreten Vukosavljević, while the two vice presidents were Murat Šećeragić and Dušan Ivović. To understand the circumstances in which ZAVNOS was dissolved, it is important to point out that Vukosavljević refused to sign the decision to dissolve ZAVNOS, while two of his deputies did sign. Except for the termination of ZAVNOS's work, this decision was significant because unlike enjoying autonomy within Yugoslavia, Sandžak was now between Serbia and Montenegro, in such a way that most of the Sandžak area became part of Serbia, while only Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja became part of Montenegro.

According to the available sources it is evident that ZAVNOS was formed as a direct consequence of the decision of the top of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ), i.e. Josip Broz Tito personally, who entrusted the task of its formation to the Second Corps of the National Liberation Army of Yugoslavia (NOVJ). In parallel with the formation of ZAVNOS, the Second Corps also formed the Main Headquarter for Sandžak, which was the leading military authority of the NOP in the Sandžak area in the same way that ZAVNOS was the supreme civilian authority. The leaders of the Second Corps were prominent Montenegrin communists Peko Dapčević, Mitar Bakić and Rudolf Primorac. In addition to ZAVNOS and the Main Headquarter for Sandžak, the third – and probably most important – institution of the NOP in the Sandžak area was the KPJ Regional Committee for Sandžak, which operated within the KPJ Provincial Committee for Montenegro and Boka. Taking into account the above stated data, it can be concluded that the dissolution of ZAVNOS and the division of Sandžak between Serbia and Montenegro as its immediate consequence significantly limited the influence of the Montenegrin communists.