The 1974 Constitution made Serbia a “complex” republic, different from other republics since it included two provinces which, instead of autonomy, gained de facto independence. The republic had almost no authority in the territory of the provinces, while the provincial authorities participated in the adoption of decisions at the level of the republic. Economic and cultural flows were intersected at the provincial administrative borders. Political decisions led to disintegration of numerous economic systems. The League of Communists of Serbia had almost no influence on the political life in the provinces and the work of the Leagues of Communists of the provinces, whereas provincial parties had representatives in the republic party bodies. Due to the opposition of the provincial authorities, Serbia was unable to adopt important laws (on national defence, social plan, etc.). It was the only republic without a Social Plan. Out of about 500 regulations adopted until 1981, only 40 applied in the whole territory of Serbia. These included 3,035 articles, out of which only 162 applied to the whole territory of the republic (6.5%). The escalation of Albanian violence in SAP Kosovo in 1981 forced the Serbian leadership to deal with the position of Serbia in Yugoslavia and the position of the provinces in Serbia according to the 1974 Constitution. In December 1981, at the 18th Session of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Serbia, the republic leadership raised the issue of the status of the provinces within the republic. They insisted on implementing the competencies under the Constitution and conclusions were adopted emphasizing the necessity of the republic’s unity. In the years to come, however, the opposition of the provincial authorities to the realization of the republic integrity was often more effective than the decisions of the republic party bodies. Provincial politicians found support in the struggle for independence from the republic in political forces outside Serbia, primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.