National Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslavia

Flag of the Yugoslav Partisans and Democratic Federal Yugoslavia

The National Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Nacionalni komitet oslobođenja Jugoslavije, Slovene: Nacionalni komite osvoboditve Jugoslavije, NKOJ), also known as the Yugoslav Committee of National Liberation, was the World War II provisional executive body of the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, established on 29 November 1943 by the Yugoslav Partisans, a resistance movement and military arm of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, led by Josip Broz Tito; in opposition to the London-based Yugoslav government-in-exile, headed by King Peter II.

History

The Committee was elected by Tito's Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ), the provisional legislative body, during its second session (29–30 November 1943), in Jajce.^[1] The Committee consisted of the President, three Vice-Presidents and the required number of Trustees, and for his work fit^{[clarification needed]} the AVNOJ and the Presidency of AVNOJ, which is appointed by its members. During the same session, on 30 November 1943, the AVNOJ also appointed Josip Broz Tito as Prime Minister.

The Committee pursued the liberation in hard conditions of life, supplying the armies with many difficulties and facing the consequences of war and death on devastated battlefields, with a poor economy, and problematic foreign affairs related to the international recognition of communist Yugoslavia.

The Committee seat was in Drvar until May 1944, in Vis from May to October 1944, and then in Belgrade. On 7 March 1945, following an agreement with the Yugoslav government-in-exile (Tito–Šubašić Agreements), the Committee was lifted and a new Yugoslav provisional government was formed, with Tito still as Prime Minister.

Cabinet

The following list is based on the work Tito and His People by Howard Fast.^[2]

Presidency

Commissioners

• Josip Smodlaka, for Foreign Affairs^[2]
• Vlada Zečević, for Internal Affairs^[2]
• Ivan Milutinović, for Agriculture^[2]
• Dušan Sernec, for Finance^[2]
• Sreten Žujović, for Transport^[2]
• Milivoje Jambrišak, for Public Health^[2] (until 10 December 1943)
• Zlatan Sremec, for Public Health (since 10 December 1943)
• Todor Vujasinović, for Economic Reconstruction^[2]
• Anton Kržišnik, for Social Affairs (Social Welfare)^[2]
• Frane Frol, for Justice^[2]
• Mile Peruničić, for Supplies^[2]
• Rade Pribićević, for Public Works (Buildings)^[2]
• Sulejman Filipović, for Forests and Mines (Forestry)^[2]
• Andrija Hebrang, for Trade and Industry (since 31 October 1944)

Others

• Edvard Kocbek,^[2] for Slovenia, and for Education^{[citation needed]}
• Emanuel Čučkov, for Agriculture^{[citation needed]}
• Nikola Petrović, for Trade and Supply^{[citation needed]}

As the war didn't allow all members to be in session, the Presidency appointed the following Deputy Commissioners:

• Vladimir Bakarić, for Foreign Affairs
• Ivan Milutinović (Agriculture), for Finance/Economy^{[citation needed]}
• Sreten Žujović (Transport), for Buildings^{[citation needed]}
• Todor Vujasinović (Economic Reconstruction), for Food^{[citation needed]}
• Edward Kocbek (Slovenia/Education), for Social Affairs^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Pijade (1953).
2. Fast (1944).

Bibliography

• Fast, Howard (1944). Tito's Collaborators. Retrieved 16 October 2022. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
• Pijade, Moša, ed. (1953). Прво и друго заседање Антифашистичког већа народног ослобођења Југославије (26 и 27 новембра 1942, 29 и 30 новембра 1943) по стенографским белешкама и другим изворима [The First and the Second Sessions of the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (26–27 November 1942, 29–30 November 1943) According to Shorthand Records and Other Sources] (in Serbian). Belgrade: Presidium of the National Assembly of the Federative People's Republic of Yugoslavia. OCLC 632104149.