Edition: U.S. / Global

EVOLUTION IN EUROPE; Premier Warns Yugoslavia It Faces Disintegration

By CHUCK SUDETIC, Special to The New York Times
Published: November 16, 1990

The Yugoslav Prime Minister warned today that continued moves by this country's restive republics to block economic and political change might lead to disintegration of the country.

The Prime Minister, Ante Markovic, said in a speech to the national Parliament:

"Measures undertaken by the republic leaderships in Slovenia, Serbia and partly Croatia, regardless of the different natures of those measures, their weight, and the reasons given to justify them, are unavoidably straining political relations in Yugoslavia and directly threatening the country's survival."

It was the Prime Minister's harshest public criticism to date of the governments in the country's three most important republics. 'A Balkanizing Factor'

"The maintaining of such a chaotic situation threatens to turn Yugoslavia into a Balkanizing factor in Europe rather than an active factor in Europeanizing the Balkans," he said.

Mr. Markovic urged Parliament to adopt a package of constitutional amendments that his Government proposed last December. The amendments provide the groundwork for new market-oriented economic changes and would enhance the federal Government's monetary and fiscal powers.

"Only an undivided Yugoslavia with a market economy, political pluralism, democratic rights and freedoms for all citizens," Mr. Markovic said, "will open the door to Europe and its integration processes."

The democratically elected governments in Slovenia and Croatia, Yugoslavia's wealthiest republics, object to strengthening the federal Government's powers and advocate the creation of a confederation of independent states. Serbs Favor Centralization

The ruling Communists in Serbia, the country's largest republic, are pressing hard for strengthing the Yugoslav federation, but have balked at the federal Government's proposals for property reform, agricultural policies and stiff measures aimed at forcing large, money-losing enterprises to operate profitably or go bankrupt.

On Wednesday, members of Slovenia's governing coalition proposed holding a referendum in late December or January on the republic's secession, arguing that other Yugoslav republics are dragging their feet in considering a plan for confederation that Slovenia and Croatia have drawn up.

Serbia's government imposed tariffs on Slovenian, Croatian and foreign goods about three weeks ago. The Slovenian government wasted no time in imposing tariffs on goods coming from other Yugoslav republics and abroad, and Croatia's Parliament is considering similar measures.

"The introduction of such import barriers and tariffs independent of the federation are illegal and represent a flagrant violation of the provisions of GATT, of which Yugoslavia is a member," Mr. Markovic said, referring to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, a multinational trade agreement that seeks elimination of tariffs. Elections in 4 Republics

The Prime Minister's speech comes in the midst of election campaigns in four of Yugoslavia's six republics. Mr. Markovic's Reform Party is facing stiff competition in each race from a host of nationalist parties.

Today, about 25,000 Macedonians protested in the republican capital, Skopje, asserting that ethnic Albanians in the republic's western districts prevented Macedonians from casting ballots in last Sunday's first round of parliamentary elections.

While final first-round vote tallies are still not available, election officials in Macedonia have declared last Sunday's vote null and void in 54 precincts because of irregularities, according to a Yugoslav press agency report. A new vote in those precincts is set for Nov. 25, and a second round of voting has been postponed until Dec. 9.

Parliamentary elections are set for Sunday in Bosnia-Herzegovina and for Dec. 9 in Serbia and Montenegro. Runoffs are scheduled in each republic.

Map of Yugoslavia