Aksentijević opposed Slovenian independence. On 22 May 1991 Aksentijević, then a Lieutenant-Colonel, set a deadline of the next day for the people of Maribor to accede to an ultimatum to deliver over money, recruits, information about recruits, and to close Slovenian militia training centres. Aksentijević'a demands were ignored. Aksentijević's base was home to the trial of the Ljubljana Four. During the Ten-Day War between Slovene militia and the JNA, Aksentijević commanded a base surrounded by Slovenes. Interviewed for the BBC documentary "The Death of Yugoslavia" he recalled angrily asking for orders from JNA high command, asking "Are we an army or not? ... If we're an army we should act. If not, we should retreat".