Montenegro holds secession rally

[Ferran]

Montenegro holds secession rally

By Nick Hawton
BBC News, Podgorica

Montenegrins rally for independence in Podgorica

A huge pro-independence rally has been held in Podgorica, Montenegro's capital, ahead of Sunday's referendum on whether to break away from Serbia.

Thousands of people gathered in the main square to listen to traditional Montenegrin songs and speeches from pro-independence politicians.

Red and gold flags with the Montenegrin royal crest were waved from balconies and trees surrounding the square.

Montenegro currently forms part of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.

The two peoples have very close religious and cultural links and this has left Montenegro's people deeply divided as to whether to sever ties with Serbia.

'Test of maturity'

If Montenegro does vote for independence in Sunday's referendum, it will be a landmark in the history of the Balkans and the final act in the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia.

About 50,000 people turned out to hear speeches in the run-up to Sunday's referendum when Montenegrins will be asked whether they want to break away from the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.

Messages of support were read out from sports people and others in public life.

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic who has led the independence campaign, said the nation's destiny was in their hands.

He said the whole world was focused on Montenegro. He said the country was facing a test of its maturity and that it would pass that test.

Montenegro, with less than 700,000 people, was the smallest republic of the former Yugoslavia.

It's nearly 90 years since Montenegro was last an independent state.



Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4996358.stm

[Banat]

Is there a different attitude towards the subject in different parts of Europe?

Both pro-union and pro-secessionist blocks had rallies in Podgorica within few days, and both managed to gather app. 40,000 people from all around Montenegro, but media from different countries payed different kind of attention to the two different events. From what I heard, French media mostly informed about pro-union events, while the media in Germany concentrated on pro-secessionist ones more.

BTW, here are the photos from the pro-union rallies in Podgorica and other towns of Montenegro, from the site of National Party of Montenegro (Narodna Stranka): http://www.narodnastranka.cg.yu/stra...%20slikapg.htm

These ones are from the last relly, held in Podgorica, capital of Montenegro:







(The Cyrillic "HE!" stands for "NO!")

[Strengthandhonour]

I saw an interesting documentary about this the other day. The pro-union individuals made some really strong points about staying together, specially when it came to wealth.

[Banat]

Originally Posted by Strengthandhonour

I saw an interesting documentary about this the other day. The pro-union individuals made some really strong points about staying together, specially when it came to wealth.

The situation is very "tight", and no matter the outcome, the winners will have a hard situation:

-should the independentists win, they'll have a (at least) 40% population against the break of the union, already willing to claim their enclaves and separate territories, including ethnic Albanians who are pro-secessionist but express strong desires to seceding their ethnic areas as soon as Montenegro gains full independence

-should the unionists win, they'll have a (at least) 40% population that is anti-union, and already asks for a new referendum after three years, should this fail. And since the anti-unions are in power in Montenegro, that would definitely mean problems in functioning of the union for the next three years, similar to those in the last period when many decisions could not be made since the concensus lacked

The best for Montenegro would be if the results of the referendum could be "extreme", meaning that vast majority of the population chooses one option, no matter which.

By the referendum law in Montenegro, 55% of votes is required for secession and Montenegrin citizens living in Serbia for more than two years (app 200,000 of them) are not allowed to vote, while pro-independentist Serbs living in Montenegro for more than two years are.

A difficult call. We shall see the results Sunday evening.