The death of Marshal Josip Broz Tito in 1980 led to a major political transition in Yugoslavia. Assuming the presidency of Serbia in 1987, Milosevic began to pursue authority over the Yugoslav Federation, thus encouraging a different style of government, ultranationalist tendency and advocating “inflammatory nationalism” towards other ethnic groups and nations of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Simon and Smale). The transition from Tito's social-communist ideology to Milosevic's Serbian-centric nationalism created an unequal representation at the federal level of the six constituent socialist republics and the two socialist autonomous ones, therefore, as a result of the rise of ethnic nationalism, the violation of rights humans and minorities within the Federation sparked a spark of rebellion among ethnic groups. The rise of ethnic nationalism and the failed transformation from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, attributed mainly to the military supremacy of Milosevic, led to widespread ethnic conflicts within the Federation. Despite the initiative of the European Community and the American Secretary of State James A. Baker III aimed at preventing the disintegration of the country, in June 1991 Croatia and Slovenia proclaimed themselves "independent and sovereign" states, thus putting an end to a long-standing conflict between the two ethnic groups present in Croatia, the Croats and the Serbs, and a new beginning at the end of the Yugoslav era (Chicago Tribune). Shortly thereafter, Macedonia (also known as FYROM) followed Croatia's decision with a peaceful agreement with the federal government. While the first three republics gained their independence from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in one way or another...... middle of paper ......-Serbian-allies>.Sciolino, Elaine. "BALKAN AGREEMENT: THE OVERVIEW; AGREEMENT REACHED TO END THE WAR IN BOSNIA; CLINTON COMMITS AMERICAN TROOPS TO KEEP THE PEACE." The New York Times. The New York Times, November 22, 1995. Web. December 17, 2013. .Simms, Brendan and Norman Cigar. "Genocide in Bosnia. The Policy of 'Ethnic Cleansing'. By Cigar Norman. College Station, Texas: Texas A.& M. University Press. Pp. 247 Xiv. £22.95." The Historical Journal 39.02 (1996): 574. Print.Smale, Marlise Simons and Alison. "Slobodan Milosevic, 64, former Yugoslavian leader accused of war crimes, has died." The New York Times. The New York Times, March 12, 2006. Web. .