Pro-independence supporters celebrate on Sunday night after unofficial poll results were released.
Posted on 05/21/2006 6:39:23 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
PODGORICA, Serbia-Montenegro (CNN) -- Voters in Montenegro decided narrowly to sever the country's union with Serbia, a move that would break up the last two pieces of the former Yugoslavia, unofficial poll returns from Sunday's referendum indicated.
The election watchdog group CEMI said late Sunday that 55.5 percent of the more than 410,000 voters who cast ballots supported independence -- just over the 55 percent required for the question to pass.
"I'm sure that tonight a democratic Montenegro will be celebrated," said Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, whose Democratic Party of Socialists had pushed for Montenegro's full independence.
Opposition spokesman Predrag Bulatovic disputed those projections, saying supporters fell short of the required margin of victory. But Predrag Sekulic, a spokesman for Djukanovic's party, said, "There is no doubt we won."
Though official results are not expected until Monday, people began celebrating inside government buildings Sunday night, and fireworks illuminated the center of the Montenegrin capital Podgorica.
Official returns will be released at 10 a.m (0800 GMT) Monday, the head of the state electoral commission, Frantishek Lipka, said, according to The Associated Press.
"With only over 50 percent of the vote counted, I cannot give you preliminary results," Lipka said, AP reported.
At stake is whether Europe will see the formation of a new country. Montenegro would be a small, mountainous nation along the Adriatic Sea with a total population of about 650,000 residents.
Montenegro had been one of six republics within Yugoslavia before the country's violent unraveling in 1991. In 2003, after nearly a decade of war and political upheaval, Serbia and Montenegro replaced what remained of the Yugoslav federation with a loose union.
Djukanovic has pushed for full independence, arguing the country would have a better chance of joining the European Union if separated from Serbia.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Pro-independence supporters celebrate on Sunday night after unofficial poll results were released.
Predrag Bulatovic is head of the opposition Socialist People's Party, the leading force in the pro-union camp.
Independence.....how sweet it is.
At least until the Albanian minority becomes the majority!
I note that Montenegro contains the tallest peak within the old Yugoslavia borders (8,274 feet), as well as its Adriatic shore, all in a very compact area. You'd have to think it would be scenic, and certainly the climate must be nice.
Seems like someone, somewhere, could make a pile by backing a port facility, a casino, a resort, a vinyard, etc. Heck, it's small enough for the FReeper Nation to take it over. Let's go for it!
Montenegro: 'I wish I could quit to Serbia.' or.....
'I've been trying to quit Serbia since the 90's but those stinkin' patches never work.
I still cannot fathom what that was all about.
But I guess if you have a general, Weasley Clark, willing to drop bombs on civilians from 20,000 ft. then you earn your war credentials.
Leader of the Social-Democratic League of Vojvodina, Nenad Èanak, said that the success of the Montenegro independence referendum is proof that no one wants to live in a union with Serbia. “Serbia no longer has any excuses. It is obvious that no one wants to live with this kind of Serbia in a union, and it is time for the people in Serbia to ask themselves why this is so.” Èanak said. He said that the victory of the option for Montenegrin independence represents a “big day” in Serbia as well, which on this day, has regained independence “undeservingly.” Èanak said that Montenegro will have a much better chance for European integration and that the referendum was exceptionally well organised. Leader of the Association of Vojvodina Hungarians, Jožef Kasa, said that he was rooting for Montenegro independence. “I expected this result. I would like to congratulate those who wanted to restore the independence of Montenegro. Montenegro has a long tradition of independence and I am sure that they will move faster and more effectively towards Europe. Unfortunately, they have left us to lay in the bed we have made for ourselves.” Kasa said. “I was rooting for Montenegrin independence, so that Serbia can finally turn its attention to itself and stop finding excuses for its foolish mistakes in others.” Kasa said.
They have Burger King in Afghanistan?!?
Were you aware that the Albanian Port was on a terror list and our navy was not permitted to enter that port. Of course, that was before sick willie changed all that.
If this country continues down the road of "multiculturalism" - this could be our future. Only instead of Montenegro and Serbia, it will be Montana and South Carolina wanting their independence!
With the exception of the country of "Serbia and Montenegro", President Bush and the USA has received tangible support in the War on Terror from all the other Balkan and Former Yugoslavia countries. Now that Montenegro's separation from Serbia is imminent, we may soon gain one more good ally.
However, Montenegro is not about to cut it's nose off.
Montenegro port of Bar
Montenegro has a truly beautiful coastline.
Sveti Stefan has been a jet set hangout for many years, drawing the likes of Richard Burton & Elizabeth Taylor, Sydney Portier, back in the day when Yugoslavia was a favorite location for shooting films.
The Montenegrin coast can and will easily support tourism, but that is about it, in terms of industry at the moment.
My family is originally from the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), hence the "Bokababe".
I wish Crna Gora (Montenegro) luck, in their independence. And I am afraid that they will need all the goodwill and good fortune that they can get in order to deal with their future.
I share in the the following analyst's opinion :
"It was easier for Montenegro to acquire independence than it will be to preserve it," said political analyst Slavko Zivanov in an interview on Monday.
Zivanov also outlined that Montenegrin prime minister Milo Djukanovic, leader of the supporters of independence, "should thank his fellow citizens of Albanian ethnic origin and Muslims for the outcome of the referendum." However, Djukanovic "should expect a big headache as the latters will hand him the bill for their favors," added Zivanov. He referred to the opinion expressed by many other political analysts that Montenegro will soon have to deal with demands for local autonomy by Muslims and locals of Albanian ethnic origin, who together represent about 20 per cent of Montenegro’s population of 620,000.....http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.301243622&par=0
"Djukanistan" lives.
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