The request was denied and a bloodless skirmish between Serb insurgents and Croatian special police in March prompted the JNA itself to ask the Federal Presidency to give it wartime authority and declare a state of emergency. Even though the request was backed by Serbia and its allies, the JNA request was refused on 15 March. Serbian President Slobodan Milošević, preferring a campaign to expand Serbia rather than to preserve Yugoslavia with Croatia as a federal unit, publicly threatened to replace the JNA with a Serbian army and declared that he no longer recognized the authority of the federal Presidency.
The request was denied, leading to a bloodless conflict between Serb insurgents and Croatian special forces in March. This prompted the JNA to seek wartime powers from the Federal Presidency and declare an emergency. Although supported by Serbia and allies, the JNA's request was rejected on 15 March. Serbian President Slobodan Milošević threatened to replace the JNA with a Serbian army and declared that he no longer recognized the authority of the Federal Presidency.