Savezna Republika Jugoslavija

local short form: Jugoslavija

Government type: republic

Capital: Belgrade

Administrative divisions: 2 republics (republike, singular -
republika); and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn
pokrajine, singular - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo*, Montenegro,
Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence: 27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY
formed as self-proclaimed successor to the Socialist Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday: Republic Day, 29 November

Constitution: 27 April 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Vojislav KOSTUNICA
(since 7 October 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Dragisa PESIC (since 24 July
2001); Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub LABUS (since 25 January 2001)

cabinet: Federal Executive Council

elections: president elected by direct popular vote for up to two,
four-year terms; election last held 24 September 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Vojislav KOSTUNICA elected president; percent of
vote - Vojislav KOSTUNICA 55%, Slobodan MILOSEVIC 35%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Savezna Skupstina
consists of the Chamber of Republics or Vece Republika (40 seats -
20 Serbian, 20 Montenegrin; members distributed on the basis of
party representation in the republican assemblies to serve four-year
terms; note - the Assembly passed a new constitutional amendment
calling for direct elections for the deputies to the upper chamber)
and the Chamber of Citizens or Vece Gradjana (138 seats - 108
Serbian with half elected by constituency majorities and half by
proportional representation, 30 Montenegrin with six elected by
constituency and 24 proportionally; members serve four-year terms)

elections: Chamber of Republics - last held 24 September 2000 (next
to be held NA 2004); Chamber of Citizens - last held 24 September
2000 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: Chamber of Republics - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - SNP 19, DOS 10, SPS/JUL 7, SRS 2, SPO 1, SNS
1; note - seats are filled on a proportional basis to reflect the
composition of the legislatures of the republics of Montenegro and
Serbia; since 1998 Serbia has effectively barred Montenegro from its
constitutional right to delegate deputies