Saša Mišić

“1948 NEVER TO BE REPEATED!” YUGOSLAV RELATIONS TOWARDS ITALIAN COMMUNISTS AND SOCIALISTS 1957–1962

Abstract: The paper presents an analysis of relations between Yugoslavia and the two most important parties of the Italian left: the Italian Communist Party (PCI) and the Italian Socialist Party (PSI) at a time when relations between Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union deteriorated again. It is an effort to explain the way in which the dispute between Belgrade and Moscow affected the relations of the Yugoslav communists with those Italian parties.

Keywords: Yugoslavia, Italian Communist Party (PCI), Italian Socialist Party (PSI), cooperation, USSR

Summary: In 1957 Yugoslavia established close cooperation with the Italian Communist Party; in the autumn of the previous year, they renewed relations which had been broken after the Cominform Resolution. Even the disputes in the Yugoslav-USSR relations after the Hungarian revolution did not break the ties completely. At the same time, Yugoslavs in 1957 also established relations with the Italian Socialist Party, but they were not as intensive as with the PCI. Although the relations with Communists and Socialists in 1957 followed the same direction – albeit not at the same speed – things started to change the following year. The turning point was the 7th Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia which led to an open conflict in the Belgrade-Moscow relations. After the Congress, the PCI started to harmonize its policy with the views of the USSR and other communist parties, but it also sought to maintain some form of cooperation with the Yugoslavs. These were mostly contacts with mass organizations that were under indirect control of the Italian communists, while the leaders of the two parties maintained informal contacts. The Italian Socialist Party took a different position. Since in the observed period they broke their previously close cooperation with the PCI and were relieved of the pressure to harmonize their policies with the Italian communists and the USSR, the Socialists began a comprehensive cooperation with Yugoslavia. Thus, in the late 1950s, the PSI became the party closest to the Yugoslavs, not only among the Italian left but also, it seems, in the wider European framework. This closeness was especially reflected in the attitudes towards foreign policy issues and the attitude towards the international labour movement. The rapprochement of Yugoslavia and USSR in early 1960s reflected on relations with Italian parties as well. At that time, cooperation with the Italian Communist Party was intensified, whereas the relations with the Socialist started to lose significance.