As a colonel of the Royal Serbian Army, he was one of the main participants in the May Coup of 1903 against King Alexander I of Serbia.

[1][2] He also served as the 14th Dean of the Academic Board of the Military Academy in Serbia and its chief from 1904 to 1907.

Due to his opposition to the King's marriage to Draga Mašin, he was retired at his own request in July 1900.

On the same day, he was appointed commander of the Danube Divisional Area, assuming command in place of murdered Colonel Dimitrije Nikolić, a firm loyalist to the King and the Obrenović dynasty.

[3][4] Following the coup, Solarević served as the Minister of Army in 1903, Chief of the Military Academy in 1904–1907, and became a general in 1907.