Montenegro vote opens separatist Pandora's box

AFP ^ | 23 May 2006 | Calin Neacsu

[PeteB570]

So its OK for Kosovo but not for Spain?

I would ask them why not. This is not the end of this subject by any means. Look for it to get worse in the years to come.

[Al Simmons]

It is amazing how statists everywhere are quickest in denunciations of other people's wishes to be free from artificial constructs of government that have failed. All in the name of 'stability'...

oh well, on to their next point: "well, Montenegro WAS an independent nation for 4 centuries before 1920, so, well, its OK for THEM, but not OK for (fill-in-the-blank)..

[JR.Roofing]

And here I thought the huge effort by the UN, the US, NATO, etc years ago to rip apart Yugoslavia opened the separatist Pandora's box.

But it appears the AFP missed that.

[Kenny Bunk]

Joe, Montenegro doesn't have much in common with some of the rump territory mentioned in your excellently posted article ... which makes me doubt the author's bona fides.

Montenegro is an ancient kingdom with its own history and its own branch of the Orthodox Church. For example, its royal family is related by blood and marriage to most of the other royal families of Europe. Montenegro also fought on the side of the allies in WWI.

[PeterFinn]

Let's not forget Wales, Scotland, Catalonia, Malta, Corsica, & etc.

[robowombat]

Malta is an independent country. It has been for over 30 years.

[mark502inf]

So its OK for Kosovo but not for Spain?

First, the Catalan & Basque separatists were referring to Montenegro, not Kosovo.

Second, the Kosovars are saying almost the same thing: "Why is it OK for Montengego to vote to secede, but not us?" Both Kosovo and Montengro were incorporated into the entity most recently known as Serbia & Montenegro by force of arms ratified by Great Power fiat at the end of WWI. Both fought revolts for years that were brutally suppressed. However, Kosovo voted for independence in 1991 and then suffered through the Serb pogroms against the Albanians culminating in the ethnic cleansing campaigns of 1998-99. From their viewpoint, even more so than Montenegro, they deserve independence yesterday.

[GAB-1955]

Finally the Archduke Franz Ferdinand gets his payback!

[Lion in Winter]

No, Montenegro DOES not have a canonical ORTHODOX CHURCH of its own... The Entire ORTHODOX CHURCH WOULD HAVE TO APPROVE THIS AND THEY HAVE NOT EVER... NOT FOR THEM OR MACEDONIA ( OR AS THE GREEKS CALL THEM FYROM).

Even the USA does not have a fully independent Orthodox Church. Nor does Canada.

This is their own Church affairs and has little or nothing to do with man-made geographical boundries. Best NOT to push the issue since neither YOU nor I, nor the politicans can change one iota of the facts.

[Lion in Winter]

Archduke was set up by his own secret police.....plus he was a dirty rotten dog anyway!

[Lion in Winter]

LIES!! Kosovo was NEVER separate form Serbia and you know it!! How's your Albanian ISLAMICS MOBSTER pals doing today????

[Lion in Winter]

PING!!!!

Mark-igit is on board with his USUAL LIES!!

[mark502inf]

[Montenegro has] its own branch of the Orthodox Church

Uh-oh, Kenny, I think you're going to get in trouble for saying that!

[Malesherbes]

I predict that the time will come in the USA when the debates of the 1850's will re-emerge - as our own Balkanization continues. After all, just this week Vicente Fox is visiting his new "estado:" Alta California.

[Arthalion]

Free Saamiland!

That should piss the libruls off :)

[PeteB570]

True, but I was referring to the part about the EU dealing with Kosovo next.

The whole "Vote for Independence" is such a crock. The same countries that back it in one part of the world denounce it in an other.

China and Taiwan, that's a good one. With the last election Bolivia could be next with a split off of the lowlands. The Basques? Thorn in the side of Spain for years.

No easy solution to any of them. Just messy.

[Kenny Bunk]

Post-monitus pessimus.

[mark502inf]

LIES!! Kosovo was NEVER separate form Serbia

Uh, except for the five centuries from the 1400s until Serbia invaded and conquered it in 1912 as part of the First Balkan War. I'm sure there's a library near you. Ask someone where it is. They usually have nice ladies there who will help you look it up.

[montyspython]

Wrong