World Notes YUGOSLAVIA

Although political dissidents in Yugoslavia enjoy a measure of freedom unusual in Communist countries, they are rarely permitted to travel abroad. Thus it came as a surprise last week when the Belgrade government issued a passport to its most vociferous critic, Milovan Djilas, 75. The internationally renowned author, a founder of Yugoslavia's Communist system and a top aide of the late Josip Broz Tito's, had been denied a passport for nearly 17 years.

The reasons date back to 1953, when Djilas, then Tito's heir apparent, began criticizing the regime he had helped establish. Djilas' denunciations were eventually published abroad in his articles and books, including The New Class. Djilas was jailed several times, spending a total of nine years behind bars. He was finally set free in 1966, but since then has continued to criticize the Yugoslav government. As recently as 1984 he was detained by police.

Now in failing health, Djilas intends to visit his son Aleksa, the editor of a political journal in London. After being officially warned not to do anything abroad that might cause another arrest on his return home, the old rebel declared, "My views are well known."