At the first session of the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) in Bihać, representatives of peoples from all parts of Yugoslavia regardless of their ethnicity, religion or political party affiliation, adopted a resolution noting: that the April collapse of Yugoslavia had been the direct consequence of a policy that had been directed against the people and series of treasons by the military and political leaderships; that the atrocities committed by Draža Mihailović's Chetniks were no less ruthless and massive than the atrocities committed by the occupiers, Ustasha and Nedić's gangs; that a large number of officers and the municipal and state apparatuses of the former Yugoslavia were placed in the service of the occupier; and that only the Communist Party of Yugoslavia remained faithful to the people and their freedom and invited all peoples to joint armed fight against the occupier.

After this, the Resolution stressed the huge and unlimited affection towards the Soviet Union; welcomed the victorious efforts of the US, British and French troops; it was said: that the people's liberation army through its victories had become a factor of international importance; that the Yugoslav government in exile bore full responsibility for the atrocities committed by Draža Mihailović's Chetniks; that the national liberation committees were bodies of people's democratic power; that AVNOJ was the general national and political party representation of the people's liberation fight in Yugoslavia; that "representatives of all countries of Yugoslavia, rallied in free Bihać, have decided to constitute themselves in the Anti-Fascist Council of the People's Liberation of Yugoslavia, as the highest political expression of the created strong unity of the people of Yugoslavia," whose main task is the final liberation of all Yugoslav peoples and creation of conditions for equality.

Under the Resolution, AVNOJ was to elect from amongst its members its executive committee, president and three vice presidents The AVNOJ Presidency headed the Council, represented it in public, called the sessions of the Council and Executive Committee, prepared the agenda, presided the sessions and coordinated the work of some sections of the Executive Committee, which was in charge of current affairs. The Executive Committee was the de facto government of new Yugoslavia, although de iure it was not.

AVNOJ was organised as a monocameral assembly made up of national delegations. It represented the "revolutionary assembly of the federation."

THE RESOLUTION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AVNOJ , (1.27 MB)

List of Constituent Acts of Yugoslavia