Socialist Republic of Montenegro


The Socialist Republic of Montenegro, commonly referred to as Socialist Montenegro or simply Montenegro, was one of the six republics forming the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the nation state of the Montenegrins. It is a predecessor of the modern-day Montenegro.
Socialist Montenegro was a non-nationalist state and Serbo-Croatian was its official language.
Prior to its formation, Montenegro was part of Zeta banovina administrative unit of Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
Between 1945 and 1963, the Montenegrin government embarked on a program of rapid industrialization, nationalization of private property, and collectivization of agriculture, following the wider Yugoslav socialist development strategy. Political control was exercised through the League of Communists of Montenegro, the local branch of the LCY, which played a central role in governance and ideological supervision.
The 1963 Constitution marked a shift by renaming the republic and modestly redefining its status within the federation. A more significant transformation occurred after the 1974 Yugoslav Constitution, which granted Montenegro and other republics increased autonomy, particularly in governance, foreign relations, and economic planning. Nonetheless, Montenegro remained loyal to federal unity, often aligning closely with Belgrade's political direction.
Montenegrin politics during this era were relatively stable but tightly controlled. Dissent was minimal until the 1980s, when a broader liberalization across Yugoslavia led to increasing national expression and the emergence of reformist voices. These shifts, combined with the federation's deepening political and economic crisis, culminated in the collapse of the socialist regime. In 1991, Montenegro began its transition toward multiparty democracy, formally ending decades of communist rule.

History

On 7 July 1963, the People's Republic of Montenegro was renamed the "Socialist Republic of Montenegro" with Serbo-Croatian as the official language. In 1991, as the League of Communists of Montenegro changed its name to Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro after the first multi-party elections, the adjective "Socialist" was erased from the republic's title. Montenegro joined the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on 27 April 1992 after a referendum was held on 1 March on the question of whether Montenegro should remain a part of Yugoslavia or pursue independence. The flag and emblem were changed in December 1993.

Demographics

1971 census:
  • Montenegrins: 355,632
  • ethnic Muslims: 70,236
  • Serbs: 39,512
  • Albanians: 35,671
  • Yugoslavs: 10,943
  • Croats: 9,192
  • Total: 529,604 inhabitants
1981 census:
  • Montenegrins: 400,488
  • ethnic Muslims: 78,080
  • Albanians: 37,735
  • Yugoslavs: 31,243
  • Serbs: 19,407
  • Croats: 6,904
  • Roma: 1,471
  • Macedonian: 875
  • Slovenes: 564
  • Hungarians: 238
  • Germans: 107
  • Russians: 96
  • Italians: 45
  • other: 816
  • No response: 301
  • Regional affiliation: 1,602
  • Unknown: 4,338
  • Total: 584,310 inhabitants
1991 census:
  • Montenegrins: 380,467
  • ethnic Muslims: 89,614
  • Serbs: 57,453
  • Albanians: 40,415
  • Yugoslavs: 26,159
  • Croats: 6,244
  • Roma: 3,282
  • Macedonians: 1,072
  • Slovenes: 369
  • Hungarians: 205
  • Germans: 124
  • Russians: 118
  • Italians: 58
  • other: 437
  • No response: 1,944
  • Regional affiliation: 998
  • Unknown: 6,076
  • Total: 615,035 inhabitants

    Heads of institutions

President

  • President of the Montenegrin Anti-Fascist Assembly of National Liberation
  • *Niko Miljanić
  • Presidents of the Presidency of the People's Assembly
  • *Miloš Rašović
  • *Nikola Kovačević
  • Presidents of the People's Assembly
  • *Nikola Kovačević
  • *Blažo Jovanović
  • *Filip Bajković
  • *Andrija Mugoša
  • *Veljko Milatović
  • *Vidoje Žarković
  • *Budislav Šoškić
  • Presidents of the Presidency
  • *Veljko Milatović
  • *Veselin Đuranović
  • *Marko Orlandić
  • *Miodrag Vlahović
  • *Branislav Šoškić
  • *Radivoje Brajović
  • *Božina Ivanović
  • *Slobodan Simović
  • *Branko Kostić
  • *Momir Bulatović

    Prime minister

  • Minister for Montenegro
  • *Milovan Đilas
  • Prime Minister of Montenegro
  • *Blažo Jovanović
  • Presidents of the Executive Council
  • *Blažo Jovanović
  • *Filip Bajković
  • *Đorđije Pajković
  • *Veselin Đuranović
  • *Mijuško Šibalić
  • *Vidoje Žarković
  • *Žarko Bulajić
  • *Marko Orlandić
  • *Momčilo Cemović
  • *Radivoje Brajović
  • *Vuko Vukadinović
  • *Radoje Kontić
  • *Milo Đukanović