Serbia was last night in chaos with no secure institutions of government or state - except for the federal presidency of Dr Vojislav Kostunica.
Dr Kostunica sought to steady the situation, meeting with the general staff of the Yugoslav armed forces and calling for a line of command to be established in the police and interior ministry.
The powerful Serbian government, still controlled by the coalition of Mr Slobodan Milosevic, was backtracking on earlier agreements to dissolve.
Several leading state companies witnessed violence as directors were ousted by so-called crisis committees, apparently not answerable to anybody.
After a meeting with military chiefs, Dr Kostunica described the situation as "complex". A source from his office said that the head of the armed forces, General Nebojsa Pavkovic, would remain in place.
Leaders of Kostunica's coalition, the 18 party Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) held an urgent meeting last night to discuss Serbia's government, which is paralysed by several firings or resignation of key ministries.
Despite an earlier pledge to call elections in December and to dissolve itself rapidly, the powerbrokers in that parliament yesterday refused to meet.
Securing power in the Serbian government is vital to Dr Kostunica. Unless DOS can win strong representation there, Dr Kostunica will not have constitutional power to effect reform because as federal president his position is mainly symbolic and his current strength rests on his widespread popularity.
State companies across the country were in a state of near-anarchy as many crisis committees ousted directors and managers linked to the Milosevic regime.
Both DOS and former regime aparatchiks deny control over these crisis committees.
Private businessman and DOS leader Mr Nebojsa Covic said the situation was very complicated. "We have the Yugoslav president, the federal government which has resigned, the non-functional Serbian legislature and government."
He said the country was now in a "vacuum", and added that the DOS must not allow "one kind of mafia to replace another".
He condemned general managers of some socially-owned companies for burning company archives in an attempt to "hide theft," but also "the men with baseball bats" who demand the resignations of general managers.
A tug-of-war was under way for control of the police. After the resignation of Serbian Interior Minister, Mr Vlajko Stojiljkovic, the pro-Milosevic Serbian Premier, Mr Mirko Marjanovic, took control of the police.
Serbian government deputy information minister, Mr Miodrag Popovic, said: "If we stick with legality, the only thing that is clear is that Dr Kostunica is elected President and that we have a federal parliament."
He added: "It's not a matter of politics any more, it's a matter of chaos." Then continued: "I don't think the future is very bright because these institutions are being taken over by force. DOS says it isn't doing it. I don't know who is."
Leading international figures continued to visit Belgrade yesterday . Mr Bodo Hombach, co-ordinator of the stability pact for south eastern Europe, met Dr Kostunica last night.
The European Union earlier said it would provide heating oil ahead of winter to Serbia as a priority.