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114-691: Montenegro: The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro or simply Serbia and Montenegro , known until 2003 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , FR Yugoslavia ( FRY ) or simply Yugoslavia , was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia). The state was founded on 27 April 1992 as
228-472: A 55% supermajority of votes are cast in favor with a minimum turnout of 50%, a determination that prompted some protests from pro-independence forces. The Council of the European Union unanimously agreed to Lajčák's proposal, and the Đukanović government ultimately backed down in its opposition. Milo Đukanović , Prime Minister of Montenegro , however, promised that he would declare independence if
342-830: A deeper desire in Montenegro to leave Yugoslavia. In the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija , a growing desire for independence emerged among the Albanian majority population. Already, an unrecognised Republic of Kosova had emerged with underground institutions. In 1996, the Kosovo Liberation Army , an Albanian militia promoting Kosovar independence, launched attacks against Serbian police stations, killing at least ten Serbian policemen in direct attacks between 1996 and 1998. The low level insurgency eventually escalated. After Slobodan Milošević
456-591: A federation comprising the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro . In February 2003, it was transformed from a federal republic to a political union until Montenegro seceded from the union in June 2006, leading to the full independence of both Serbia and Montenegro . Its aspirations to be the sole legal successor state to SFR Yugoslavia were not recognized by the United Nations , following
570-567: A figure below the 55% threshold. Predrag Bulatović had announced earlier that he would resign as opposition leader if the referendum was won by those favouring independence. František Lipka , the referendum commission president or Chairman of the Electoral Commission announced on Monday the 22 May 2006 that the preliminary results were 55.4% in favor of independence. Prime Minister of the Republic of Montenegro Milo Đukanović held
684-678: A group of friends on top with former presidential candidate Bob Dole , who contributed in Congress, Senate, State Department, and further circles, we even had access to Colin Powell ...to support our movement to independence." Dole had been paid a sum of $ 1.38 million by the Montenegrin government for lobbying between 2001 and 2008. Lukovac denied any contract with either Manafort or Deripaska, claiming that Russian President Vladimir Putin told his campaign that "he'd prefer to for us to stay in
798-464: A message of congratulations to Montenegro on its vote for independence. Mesić was the first foreign head of state to react officially to the vote. The EU 's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana , congratulated Montenegro on a "successful referendum" and said the turnout of over 86 percent "confirms the legitimacy of the process." The European Union would, he said, "fully respect" the final result. The EU's commissioner for enlargement, Olli Rehn , said
912-413: A nine-minute video clip was aired that shows two local Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro activists from Zeta region, Ranko Vučinić and Ivan Ivanović, along with a former member of secret police, Vasilije Mijović, attempting to bribe a citizen, Mašan Bušković, into casting a pro-independence vote at the upcoming referendum. In the video clip they are seen and heard persuading Bušković to vote for
1026-622: A press conference later that day. The press conference took place at 14:30, at the Congress Hall of the Government of the Republic of Montenegro. Because about 19,000 votes were still disputed, the Electoral Commission delayed the announcement of final results. The opposition demanded a full recount of the votes but this was rejected by the Commission and European observers, who stated that they were satisfied and they were sure that
1140-659: A referendum proposed by the President to the Parliament. The Law on the Referendum on State Legal Status was first submitted by President Filip Vujanović , and it was unanimously passed by the Montenegrin Parliament on 2 March 2006. In addition to formulating the official question to be printed on the referendum ballot, the law also included a three-year moratorium on a repeat referendum, such that if
1254-537: A strategic advantage, Yugoslav Army units found themselves in a tactical advantage against KLA units which lacked proper training. VJ units themselves lacked morale, and attacks were often directed against civilian targets rather than military targets. 863,000 Albanian civilians were forcibly expelled between March and June 1999 from Kosovo. 169,824 Serb and Romani civilians were estimated by the UNHCR's Belgrade office to have fled from Kosovo-Metohija to either Serbia proper ,
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#17327648985121368-417: A union with Serbia, Montenegro, and Krajina, thus he supported a union which would secure the unity of Serbs and Bosniaks. Milošević continued negotiations with Zulfikarpašić to include Bosnia and Herzegovina within a new Yugoslavia, however efforts to include entire Bosnia and Herzegovina within a new Yugoslavia effectively terminated by late 1991 as Izetbegović planned to hold a referendum on independence while
1482-862: Is classified outside of main Europe. In the CIA World Factbook , the description of each country includes information about "Location" under the heading "Geography", where the country is classified into a region. The following countries are included in their classification "Southeast Europe": In this classification, Moldova is included in Eastern Europe and Greece is included in Southern Europe . Hungary and Slovenia are included in Central Europe . 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum An independence referendum
1596-482: Is entirely landlocked, with the coastline belonging to Montenegro. The climate is similarly varied. The north has a continental climate (cold winters and hot summers); the central region has a combination of a continental and Mediterranean climate ; the southern region had an Adriatic climate along the coast, with inland regions experiencing hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland. Belgrade , with its population of 1,574,050,
1710-579: Is still seen in Serbian nationalist historiography as the historical and spiritual heart of Serbia. Ethnic Serb groups in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina planned to demand a referendum on the independence of the Republika Srpska , according to the Croatian daily Večernji list , citing Branislav Dukić , leader of Spona , a regional Serb organisation. As such a move was seen as having
1824-410: Is the largest city in the two nations: and the only one of significant size. The country's other principal cities were Novi Sad , Niš , Kragujevac , Podgorica , Subotica , Pristina , and Prizren , each with populations of about 100,000–250,000 people. Demographics of FR Yugoslavia in 1992 FR Yugoslavia had more demographic variety than most other European countries. According to the 1992 census,
1938-483: The 1990s onwards, in part due to the negative historical and political connotations of the term Balkans , especially since the military conflicts of the 1990s in Yugoslavia in the western half of the region, the term Southeast Europe is becoming increasingly popular. The German Ständige Ausschuss für geographische Namen (Standing Committee on Geographical Names), which develops and recommends rules for
2052-531: The Assembly of Serbia on 24 July 1991. Under the Law, the municipalities, cities and settlements make the bases of the territorial organization. Serbia was divided into 195 municipalities and 4 cities , which were the basic units of local autonomy. It had two autonomous provinces: Kosovo and Metohija in the south (with 30 municipalities), which was under the administration of UNMIK after 1999, and Vojvodina in
2166-692: The Battle of Vukovar , as well as the Kosovo War , and played combat roles during ethnic insurgencies . Following the Kosovo War, the VJ was forced to evacuate Kosovo, and in 2003 it was renamed the ''Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro.'' Following the dissolution of the Union between Serbia and Montenegro, units from each army were assigned to the independent republics of Serbia and Montenegro, as recruitment in
2280-855: The Cetinje municipality , traditional centre of old Montenegro, having a huge percentage in favour of independence (over 86.38%). At the coastal regions, Herceg Novi municipality, which has a Serb majority had voted 61.34% against independence, the middle southern region ( Tivat , Kotor , Budva and Bar ) being in favour of independence, and the south, Ulcinj municipality, an ethnic Albanian centre, voted strongly in favour of independence (88.50%). The regions bordering Albania and Kosovo that have mostly Bosniak , ethnic Muslim and Albanian population, were heavily in favour of independence (78.92% in Plav , 91.33% in Rožaje ). Municipalities in Montenegro that voted for
2394-671: The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro adopted on 4 February 2003 by both Councils of the Federal Assembly of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in accordance to the 2002 Belgrade Agreement between the governments of the two constitutive republics of the state then known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , Montenegro and Serbia. Article 60 of the constitution required that a minimum of three years pass after its ratification before one of
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#17327648985122508-497: The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro , which established the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. As such, the name Yugoslavia was consigned to history. A growing independence movement in Montenegro, led by Milo Đukanović meant that the new constitution of Serbia and Montenegro included a clause allowing for a referendum on the question of Montenegrin independence, after a period of three years had passed. In 2006,
2622-926: The Deutsche Mark and continued to use it until the Mark fell into disuse to be replaced by the Euro . Serbia continued to use the Yugoslav Dinar, renaming it the Serbian Dinar . The complexity of the FRY's political relationships, slow progress in privatisation, and stagnation in the European economy were detrimental to the economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal discipline, were an important element in policy formation. Severe unemployment
2736-748: The European part of Turkey (alternatively placed in the broader region of Southern Europe, also in Western Asia with the rest of the country). Sometimes, Cyprus (most often placed in West Asia ), Hungary (most often placed in Central Europe), Moldova (most often placed in Eastern Europe) and Slovenia (most often placed in Central Europe) are also included due to cultural or historical factors and affiliation. The largest cities of
2850-759: The International Monetary Fund in December 2000, Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate with other world nations by rejoining the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development . The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the Milošević era. Afterwards, the two republics had separate central banks whilst Montenegro began to use different currencies – it first adopted
2964-462: The Kosovo Liberation Army , an Albanian separatist group. The outbreak of the Kosovo War reintroduced international sanctions , as well as eventual NATO involvement in the conflict . The conflict ended with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 , which guaranteed economic and political separation of Kosovo from FR Yugoslavia, to be placed under UN Administration . Economic hardship and war resulted in growing discontent with
3078-472: The Kosovo War . According to a 2004 estimate, the State Union had 10,825,900 inhabitants. According to a July 2006 estimate, the State Union had 10,832,545 inhabitants. The state suffered significantly economically due to the breakup of Yugoslavia and mismanagement of the economy, and an extended period of economic sanctions. In the early 1990s, the FRY suffered from hyperinflation of the Yugoslav dinar. By
3192-462: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)/ ODIHR assessment of the referendum, which stated that "the referendum was conducted in line with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and other international standards for democratic electoral processes." The United States said "We urge Montenegro and Serbia to work together to resolve the practical issues necessary to implement
3306-656: The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia , resulted in each state being recognised as sovereign states. It also provided recognition for Serbian institutions and a rotating presidency within Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Serbian populated areas of the former Socialist Republic of Bosnia were absorbed into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thus the Yugoslav Wars ended, and international sanctions on FR Yugoslavia were lifted. However, Slobodan Milošević would not achieve his dreams of admitting FR Yugoslavia to
3420-574: The Republic of Montenegro , asking Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska , on behalf of then- Prime Minister of Montenegro Đukanović , to lobby for the 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, through his connections with Canadian billionaire Peter Munk in the United States. Two organisations that were conducting a quick count , Montenegrin CDT and Serbian CeSID, had different projections of the referendum results. CeSID's initial projections were giving
3534-543: The United Nations , and be recognized by the international community, and that the remaining state (in this case the Republic of Serbia) became the full successor to the state union. No state objected to recognizing a newly formed state prior to the referendum. If Serbia had declared independence instead of Montenegro, Montenegro would have been the legal successor state. According to the Montenegrin Constitution , state status could not be changed without
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3648-573: The federal border region (mainly Novi Pazar in Serbia, and Rožaje in Montenegro). It is important to note that the Montenegrin population at the time often considered themselves to be Serbs. More than half of Kosovo's pre-1999 Serb population (226,000), including 37,000 Romani , 15,000 Balkan Muslims (including Ashkali , Bosniaks , and Gorani ), and 7,000 other non-Albanian civilians were expelled to central Serbia and Montenegro, following
3762-530: The referendum was called, and passed, by a narrow margin. This led to the dissolution of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, and the establishment of the independent republics of Serbia and Montenegro, turning Serbia into a landlocked country . Some consider this the last act that ended the breakup of Yugoslavia. At the country's founding in 1992 following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia) ,
3876-433: The "yes" option significant advantage, but as the evening progressed, they changed their projection and lowered the advantage of the "yes" option. This caused serious confusion among general public and sparked journalists to challenge CeSID projections. After CeSID's announcement, thousands of people began to celebrate in the streets of every major city. However, after the CDT announcement, the public began to realize how close
3990-462: The 1990s, the two Serb majority republics, Serbia and Montenegro, agreed to remain as Yugoslavia, and established a new constitution in 1992, which established the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia essentially as a rump state , with a population consisting of a majority of Serbs. The new state abandoned the Communist legacy: the red star was removed from the national flag, and the communist coat of arms
4104-421: The 1990s, which had prevented agreement being reached on the disposition of federal assets and liabilities, particularly the national debt. The Government of Yugoslavia supported Croatian and Bosnian Serbs in the wars from 1992 to 1995. Because of that, the country was under economic and political sanctions. War and sanctions resulted in economic disaster, which forced thousands of its young citizens to emigrate from
4218-657: The Autonomous Province of Vojvodina , or the constituent Republic of Montenegro by 20 June 1999. Out of 10,317 civilians, 8,676 Albanians, 1,196 Serbs and 445 Roma, Bosniaks, Montenegrins and others were killed or went missing in connection with the war between 1 January 1998 - 31 December 2000. The Serbian government attributed 1,953 Serbian, 361 Albanian and 266 other civilian deaths or disappearances from 1 January 1998 - 1 November 2001 to “Albanian terrorism in Kosovo-Metohija”. The international community
4332-473: The Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats formed autonomous territories. Violence between ethnic Serbs and Bosniaks soon broke out. Thus, FR Yugoslavia was restricted to the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, and became closely associated with breakaway Serb republics during the Yugoslav Wars. The FRY was suspended from a number of international institutions. This was due to the ongoing Yugoslav Wars during
4446-527: The Bosnian War, President Slobodan Milošević agreed to negotiate, as the Serbian position within Bosnia had become substantially worse. Under threat of economically crippling the Republika Srpska, he took over negotiating powers for all Serbian secessionist movements, as well as FR Yugoslavia. The ensuing Dayton Agreements , signed between representatives from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
4560-409: The European Union would put forward proposals for fresh talks with both Montenegro and Serbia. "All sides should respect the result and work together in order to build consensus on the basis of the acceptance of European values and standards. I now expect Belgrade and Podgorica to engage in direct talks on the practical implementation of the results." In a statement of 23 May the United States affirmed
4674-436: The Federal Republic had 10,394,026 inhabitants. The three largest named nationalities were Serbs (6,504,048 inhabitants, or 62.6%), Albanians (1,714,768 inhabitants, or 16.5%), and Montenegrins (519,766 inhabitants, or 5%). The country also had significant populations of Hungarians , ethnic Yugoslavs , ethnic Muslims , Romani , Croats , Bulgarians , Macedonians , Romanians and Vlachs , and others (under 1%). Most of
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4788-935: The Kosovo Liberation Army, including conducting raids during the course of the 1997 Albanian civil unrest , and drug dealing. Despite this, substantial evidence now shows that the CIA had aided in training units of the KLA, although not necessarily providing them with arms and funding. In 1998, the Kosovo War began, following increased open combat with Yugoslav police and army units deployed by Milošević. The KLA found itself heavily outnumbered and outgunned in open combat, and had to use guerrilla tactics. Serbian police and VJ units attacked KLA outposts, attempting to destroy them, as KLA units attempted to avoid direct confrontation and use terrorist attacks, including bombings and ambushes, to weaken Yugoslav control. Although unable to gain
4902-453: The Montenegrin population believed if union with Serbia was broken, the health care system would fall apart. 56.8% believed they would not be able to go to schools in Serbia anymore and 65.3% thought it would not be able to find a job in Serbia as it intends to. They used European Union flags, Slavic tricolors (which were also the official flag of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro) and Serb Orthodox tricolors. The key camp's leader
5016-680: The Serb rebel-held territories in Croatia agreed that they would form a new "third Yugoslavia". Efforts were also made in 1991 to include the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the federation, with negotiations between Miloševic, Bosnia's Serbian Democratic Party , and the Bosniak proponent of union – Bosnia's Vice-president Adil Zulfikarpašić taking place on this matter. Zulfikarpašić believed that Bosnia could benefit from
5130-457: The Serbian proclamation of independence on 5 June ended the confederation of Serbia and Montenegro and thus the last remaining vestiges of the former Yugoslavia . The Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia, representing FR Yugoslavia (1992–2003) was composed of two chambers: the Council of Citizens and the Council of Republics. Whereas the Council of Citizens served as an ordinary assembly, representing
5244-767: The Union were Andrijevica , Berane , Kolašin , Mojkovac , Plužine , Pljevlja , Herceg-Novi , Šavnik , and Žabljak . The municipalities that voted for independence were Bar , Bijelo Polje , Budva , Cetinje , Danilovgrad , Kotor , Nikšić , Plav , Podgorica , Rožaje , Tivat , and Ulcinj . The Independentist Bloc won thanks to the high votes of Albanians and to an extent Bosniaks . The highest pro-independence percentages were in Albanian-populated Ulcinj , Bosniak-populated Rožaje and Montenegrin Old Royal Capital Cetinje . On 22 May Croatian President Stipe Mesić sent
5358-488: The United Nations as the successor state of SFR Yugoslavia, as an 'outer wall' of international sanctions prohibited this. Following the adoption of economic sanctions by the international community against FR Yugoslavia, its economy experienced a collapse. Sanctions on fuel meant that fuel stations across the country ran out of petrol, and foreign assets were seized. The average income of inhabitants of FR Yugoslavia
5472-565: The United Nations, accepting that it was not the sole legal successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and was allowed to join the UN. Milošević would later be put on trial for corruption and war crimes, especially during the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, although he died in prison before his trial could end in 2006. His culpability, especially of the charges brought against him in
5586-529: The Yugoslav Wars, barring conflicts on the border with Croatia, such as the Siege of Dubrovnik . It instead provided economic and political aid, to avoid provoking the international community further, and to preserve FR Yugoslavia as the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, rather than 'Greater Serbia.' In 1995, following Operation Storm , a military offensive by the Croatian Army , and NATO involvement in
5700-422: The Yugoslav Wars, due to Yugoslav Army (VJ) units being unable to operate without oil or munitions. On top of this, starting in 1992 and until 1994, the Yugoslav dinar experienced a major hyperinflation , leading to inflation reaching 313 million percent, the second worst hyperinflation in history. Many parts of FR Yugoslavia, including all of Montenegro, adopted the Deutsche Mark and Euro currencies instead of
5814-651: The Yugoslav dinar. International sanctions crippled the Yugoslav economy, and prevented it from playing an active role in aiding Serb breakaway republics. Following the Dayton Agreement, the UN Security Council voted to lift most sanctions, but they were reissued following the outbreak of an Albanian insurgency in Kosovo. The lasting economic impact can be attributed to the eventual downfall of FR Yugoslavia and Slobodan Milošević's government, as well as
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#17327648985125928-408: The announcement, the government of Serbia declared itself the legal and political successor of Serbia and Montenegro , and that the government and parliament of Serbia itself would soon adopt a new constitution. The United States, China, Russia, and the institutions of the European Union all expressed their intentions to respect the referendum's results. The process of secession was regulated by
6042-434: The army was on a local, rather than Federal, level. Montenegro inherited the small navy of FR Yugoslavia, due to Serbia being landlocked. FR Yugoslavia was composed of two political units, consisting of two Republics, and two subordinate Autonomous Provinces to Serbia, as following: The territorial organisation of the Republic of Serbia was regulated by the Law on Territorial Organisation and Local Self-Government, adopted in
6156-473: The assertion and support of the European Union , and pointing out essential present and historical links with Serbia. They criticized that the ruling coalition was trying to turn Montenegro into a private state and a crime haven. Its campaign concentrated on pointing out "love" for union with Serbia. 73% of Montenegrin citizens had close cousins in Serbia and 78% of Montenegrin citizens had close friends in Serbia. According to TNS Medium GALLUP's research, 56.9% of
6270-407: The bombings. In the aftermath of the Kosovo War, a low level insurgency continued in parts of Southern Serbia ( Presevo valley ), which had Albanian minorities. However, this insurgencts ( UCPMB ) lacked resources, and the Yugoslav Armed Forces and police were able to put down the insurgency. The string of defeats, as well as a complete collapse of the Yugoslav economy, led to mass unpopularity of
6384-471: The city of Belgrade presents a district of its own. Montenegro was divided into 21 municipalities . Serbia and Montenegro had an area of 102,350 square kilometres (39,518 sq mi), with 199 kilometres (124 mi) of coastline. The terrain of the two republics is extremely varied, with much of Serbia comprising plains and low hills (except in the more mountainous region of Kosovo and Metohija) and much of Montenegro consisting of high mountains. Serbia
6498-521: The city proper) and "other" (suburban). Competences of cities and their municipalities were divided. Municipalities were gathered into districts , which are regional centres of state authority, but have no assemblies of their own; they present purely administrative divisions, and host various state institutions such as funds, office branches and courts. The Republic of Serbia was then and is still today divided into 29 districts (17 in Central Serbia, 7 in Vojvodina and 5 in Kosovo, which are now defunct), while
6612-459: The context of the ICTY, remains a subject of controversy within Serbia. In 2002, Serbia and Montenegro came to a new agreement regarding continued co-operation, which, among other changes, promised the end of the name Yugoslavia (since they were part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia). On 4 February 2003, the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia created a loose state union or confederacy —the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, although Yugoslavia
6726-431: The country's official name was the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslavia), as it claimed to be the sole legal successor state of the SFR Yugoslavia . The United States government however viewed this claim as illegitimate and thus, as early as 1993, referred to the country as Serbia and Montenegro . The 2003 constitution changed the state name to "Serbia and Montenegro". During the collapse of SFR Yugoslavia in
6840-476: The country, Ćosić was forced out of office in 1993 due to his opposition to Serbian President Slobodan Milošević . Ćosić was replaced by Zoran Lilić who served from 1993 to 1997, and then followed by Milošević becoming Yugoslav President in 1997 after his last legal term as Serbian president ended in 1997. FR Yugoslavia was dominated by Milosevic and his allies, until the presidential election in 2000. There were accusations of vote fraud and Yugoslav citizens took to
6954-462: The country. FR Yugoslavia acted to support Serbian separatist movements in breakaway states, including the Republic of Serbian Krajina and the Republika Srpska , and sought to establish them as independent Serbian republics, with potential eventual reintegration with FR Yugoslavia. However, the Government of FR Yugoslavia would treat these republics as separate entities, and gave unofficial, rather than active, aid by transferring control of units from
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#17327648985127068-442: The end of the week, so that the pro-union Montenegrin opposition would have time to challenge the final verdict. The prime minister of Kosovo , Agim Çeku , announced that Kosovo would follow Montenegro in the quest for independence, saying "This is the last act of the historic liquidation of Yugoslavia /.../ this year Kosovo will follow in Montenegro's footsteps." Kosovo declared its state's own independence on 17 February 2008, but
7182-415: The essential dictatorship of Slobodan Milošević and his allies in the Socialist Party of Serbia . In September 2000, amongst accusations of electoral fraud, large scale protests struck the nation. Milošević was eventually removed from power, as his Socialist Party of Serbia lost in the federal elections to the Democratic Opposition of Serbia . In the aftermath, a new government in Yugoslavia negotiated with
7296-488: The establishment of a UN mission to Kosovo, as well as the complete withdrawal of units of the Yugoslav National Army. As such, Kosovo remained an Autonomous Province of Serbia, but politically and economically independent. The damage to FR Yugoslavia was immense, with the government estimating $ 100 billion in infrastructure damage, as well as 1,200 Serbian and Albanian civilians or soldiers confirmed dead. Economists have estimated at least $ 29 billion in direct damages caused by
7410-413: The ethnic diversity was situated in the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina , where smaller numbers of other minority groups could be found. The large Albanian population was chiefly concentrated in Kosovo , with smaller populations in the Preševo Valley , and in the Ulcinj municipality in Montenegro. The Muslim ( Slavic Muslims , including Bosniaks and Gorani ) population lived mostly in
7524-452: The event of Montenegrin secession. Almost a decade later, Paul Manafort revealed during his trials that he had been hired by Oleg Deripaska to support the referendum in Montenegro. In a discussion with Radio Free Europe in 2017, Branko Lukovac, a former campaign chief for the independence bloc, claimed that he was not aware of a contract with Manafort, but acknowledged the following: "We in America had especially strong support and
7638-442: The government of Slobodan Milošević and his allies, who ran both Serbia and Montenegro as an effective dictatorship. This would eventually cumulate in the Bulldozer revolution , which saw his government overthrown, and replaced by one led by the Democratic Opposition of Serbia and Vojislav Koštunica , which also joined the UN. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ended in 2003 after the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia voted to enact
7752-448: The help of unionist parties published a 1,290-page document called Bijela Knjiga ("White Book"), recording irregularities from the referendum. According to an investigation supported by the Puffin Foundation Investigative Fund in 2008, The Nation reported that Milan Roćen authorized a contract with Davis Manafort Inc , a consulting firm founded by Rick Davis , and that the firm was paid several million dollars to help organize
7866-616: The independence campaign. Election finance documents did not record any exchanges with Davis Manafort , although the claims of the payments were backed by multiple American diplomats and Montenegrin government officials on the condition of anonymity. In early May 2006, Davis invited Nathaniel Rothschild to participate in the campaign after the unionist bloc suggested Montenegrin students studying in Serbia would lose scholarship benefits if Montenegro were to secede. Rothschild promised to commit $ 1 million to Montenegrin students studying in Serbia if they were to lose their scholarship benefits in
7980-402: The independence of the Republics of Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as establishing diplomatic relationships between the states, and a guaranteed role of the Serbian population within Bosnian politics. Later on, growing separatism within the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija , a region of Serbia heavily populated by ethnic Albanians , resulted in an insurrection by
8094-401: The independence, promising to pay off his electric bill of €1,580 in return. When the video was publicized, two DPS activists claimed they were victims of manipulation and that Vasilije Mijović talked them into doing so. Mijović denied those claims saying the video had been authentic. DPS spokesperson Predrag Sekulić claimed the video was "a montage" and "a cheap political setup." Mašan Bušković,
8208-410: The independentists proposed 50%. Another controversial issue was the referendum law, based on the constitution of Serbia and Montenegro, which stated that Montenegrins living within Serbia registered to vote within Serbia should be prohibited from voting in the referendum because that would give them two votes in the union and make them superior to other citizens. Also, the agreement threshold between
8322-496: The member states could declare independence. The same article specified the referendum as necessary for this move. However, this constitution allowed member states to define their own referendum laws. It is also specified that the member state which secedes first forfeits any rights to political and legal continuity of the federation. This means that the seceding state (in this case the Republic of Montenegro) had to apply for membership to all major international institutions, such as
8436-598: The mid-1990s, the FRY had overcome the inflation. Further damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry caused by the Kosovo War left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. Since the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government has implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive market reform program. After renewing its membership in
8550-424: The north (with 46 municipalities and 1 city). The territory between Kosovo and Vojvodina was called Central Serbia . Central Serbia was not an administrative division on its own and had no regional government of its own. In addition, there were four cities: Belgrade, Niš , Novi Sad and Kragujevac , each having an assembly and budget of its own. The cities comprised several municipalities, divided into "urban" (in
8664-525: The now-defunct JNA to the secessionist movements. In this way, FR Yugoslavia avoided potential accusations of committing acts of aggression against the breakaway republics recognised by the international community. Slobodan Milošević , the President of Serbia , did not consider himself to be at war with the breakaway republics of Yugoslavia. Following the transfer of Yugoslav Army units, the state of FR Yugoslavia ceased to play an important military role in
8778-440: The passing of United Nations Security Council Resolution 777 , which affirmed that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia had ceased to exist, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a new state. All former republics were entitled to state succession while none of them continued SFR Yugoslavia's international legal personality. However, the government of Slobodan Milošević opposed any such claims, and as such, FR Yugoslavia
8892-519: The people of FR Yugoslavia, the Council of Republics was made equally by representatives from the federation's constituent republics, to ensure federal equality between Serbia and Montenegro. The first president from 1992 to 1993 was Dobrica Ćosić , a former communist Yugoslav partisan during World War II and later one of the fringe contributors of the controversial Memorandum of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts . Despite being head of
9006-525: The referendum result by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council indicated that widespread international recognition of Montenegro would likely be swift once independence was formally declared. Serbian president Boris Tadić accepted the results of the referendum in favor of independence, while Serbian prime minister Vojislav Koštunica , a firm opponent of Montenegrin independence, resolved to wait until
9120-425: The referendum results had rejected independence, another one could have been legally held in 2009. The Referendum Bill obliged the Parliament, which introduced the referendum, to respect its outcome. It had to declare the official results within 15 days following the voting day, and act upon them within 60 days. The dissolution of Parliament was required upon the passage of any bill proposing constitutional changes to
9234-451: The referendum, and not interfere with Montenegrin sovereignty. There was considerable controversy over suffrage and needed result threshold for independence. The Montenegrin government, which supported independence, initially advocated a simple majority, but the opposition insisted on a certain threshold below which the referendum, if a "yes" option won, would have been moot. European Union envoy Miroslav Lajčák proposed independence if
9348-638: The region are Istanbul , Athens , Bucharest , Sofia , and Belgrade . The first known use of the term "Southeast Europe" was by Austrian researcher Johann Georg von Hahn (1811–1869) as a broader term than the traditional Balkans , a concept based on the boundaries of the Balkan Peninsula. Countries described in 2004 by Istituto Geografico De Agostini as being entirely within the Balkan region, are: Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Bulgaria , Montenegro , and North Macedonia . However from
9462-458: The region, due to political, economic, historical, cultural, and geographical considerations. Sovereign states and territories that may be included in the region are Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Bulgaria , Croatia (alternatively placed in Central Europe ), Greece (alternatively placed in the broader region of Southern Europe ), Kosovo , Montenegro , North Macedonia , Romania (alternatively placed in Eastern Europe ), Serbia , and
9576-441: The result was. CDT stated that the results were too close to call. This was later confirmed with the official results, since only about 2,000 votes were over the required threshold (the votes of some 2 or 3 polling stations). They urged the public to remain calm and give time to the referendum commission to finish their job. Montenegrin prime minister Milo Đukanović first delayed his appearance in public, after learning how close
9690-461: The result was. He finally appeared on Montenegrin television at about 01:40 CEST and said that after 99.85% of the votes had been counted, the percentage of votes for independence was 55.5%, and the remaining votes (6,236) could not change the outcome of the referendum. On the other side, de facto leader of the unionist bloc Predrag Bulatović said at a press conference around 00:15 CEST that "his sources" informed him that 54% had voted "yes",
9804-447: The results of the referendum, verifying that 55.5% of the population of Montenegrin voters had voted in favor of independence. Because voters met the controversial threshold requirement of 55% approval, the referendum was incorporated into a declaration of independence during a special parliamentary session on 31 May. The Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro made a formal Declaration of Independence on Saturday 3 June. In response to
9918-581: The state union Serbia and Montenegro rather than separate, but if that is what is democratically defined by the majority of Montenegrin citizens, that they [Russia] would support that." In June 2019, an audio recording from mid-2005 surfaced, that shows then ambassador of the Serbia and Montenegro to the Russian Federation Milan Roćen , express concern over the EU pressure on the authorities of
10032-409: The status of the state, and a new Parliament was required to convene within ninety days. For such changes to be enacted, the new Parliament was required to support the bill with a two-thirds majority. The newly independent country of Serbia, which is the successor state to the state union of Serbia and Montenegro, while favoring a loose federation, stated publicly that it would respect the outcome of
10146-535: The streets and engaged in riots in Belgrade demanding that Milošević be removed from power. Shortly afterwards Milošević resigned and Vojislav Koštunica took over as Yugoslav president and remained president until the state's reconstitution as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Federal Prime Minister Milan Panić became frustrated with Milošević's domineering behaviour during diplomatic talks in 1992 and told Milošević to "shut up" because Milošević's position
10260-595: The successor state to this decision (as well as many others made during Milošević's regime), in practice, after the Bulldozer Revolution, nothing has been done in this direction, as the country is a candidate for the European Union . The Armed Forces of Yugoslavia ( Serbian : Војска Југославије/Vojska Jugoslavije, ВЈ/VJ) included ground forces with internal and border troops , naval forces , air and air defense forces , and civil defense . It
10374-484: The target of the alleged attempted bribe, on the other hand said the video is authentic and that it portrays events exactly as they occurred. Public workers, such as teachers and police officers, were subject to pressure from their employers to vote for independence. The DPS chief whip, Miodrag Vuković, alluded to this in May 2006 when he said one "cannot work for the state and vote against it." In 2007, Jovan Markuš with
10488-424: The two blocs for 55% was somewhat criticized as overriding the traditional practice of requiring a two-thirds supermajority , as practiced in all former Yugoslav countries before (including the previous referendum in Montenegro ). The pro-independence camp mainly concentrated on history and national minority rights. Montenegro was recognized an independent country in the 1878 Congress of Berlin . Its independence
10602-413: The uniform use of geographical names, proposes two sets of boundaries. The first follows international borders of current countries. The second subdivides and includes some countries based on cultural criteria. The following countries are included in their classification "Southeastern Europe": In this classification, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia are included in Central Europe , while Turkey (East Thrace)
10716-485: The vote had been free and fair. The distribution of votes was as follows: majority (around 60%-up to around 70%) were against independence in regions bordering Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina . The highest No vote was in Serb-majority Plužine municipality with 75.70%. In the authentic Montenegrin regions (former Principality of Montenegro ), there was a light majority (around 50-60%) for independence, with
10830-471: The votes passed 50%, regardless of whether the census was passed or not. On the other hand, he also announced that if less than 50% voted for the independence option, he would resign from all political positions. The original pursuit of Milo Đukanović and the DPS-SDP was that 40% voting in favour of statehood be a sufficient percentage to declare independence, but this caused severe international outrage before
10944-413: The will of the people of Montenegro as expressed in the referendum." The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 23 May stating "It is of fundamental importance for Montenegro and Serbia to enter into constructive, friendly and comprehensive dialogue with the aim of producing mutually acceptable political solutions regarding their future relations." The UK 's Europe Minister Geoff Hoon said he
11058-698: Was a key political and economic problem. Corruption also presented a major problem, with a large black market and a high degree of criminal involvement in the formal economy. Serbia, and in particular the valley of the Morava is often described as "the crossroads between the East and the West " – one of the primary reasons for its turbulent history. The valley is by far the easiest land route from continental Europe to Greece and Asia Minor . Major international highways going through Serbia were E75 and E70 . E763 / E761
11172-526: Was created. It was unicameral and was made up of 126 deputies, of which 91 were from Serbia and 35 were from Montenegro. The Assembly convened in the building of the old Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia, which now houses the National Assembly of Serbia . In 2003, after the constitutional changes and creation of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro , a new President of Serbia and Montenegro
11286-493: Was elected President of Yugoslavia in 1997, having served his maximum two terms as President of Serbia, he ordered Yugoslav Army (VJ) units to move into Kosovo to aid in the suppression of the insurrection. The governments of FR Yugoslavia and the US declared the Kosovo Liberation Army a terrorist organisation, following repeated deadly attacks against Yugoslav law enforcement agencies. US intelligence also mentioned illegal arms sources of
11400-599: Was elected. He was also president of the Council of Ministers of Serbia and Montenegro . Svetozar Marović was the first and last President of Serbia and Montenegro until its breakup in 2006. On April 12, 1999, the Federal Assembly of the FR Yugoslavia passed the "Decision on the accession of the FRY to the Union State of Russia and Belarus ". Although Serbia is, according to constitutional and international law,
11514-587: Was established from the remnants of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), the military of SFR Yugoslavia . Several Bosnian Serb units of the VJ were transferred over to the Republika Srpska , during the course of the Bosnian War , leaving only units directly from Serbia and Montenegro in the armed forces. The VJ saw military action during the Yugoslav Wars , including the Siege of Dubrovnik and
11628-512: Was extinguished in 1918 when its assembly declared union with Serbia . The minor ethnic groups are promised full rights in an independent Montenegro, with their languages being included into the new Constitution. The camp's leader was Prime Minister of Montenegro Milo Đukanović . The Unionists' campaign slogans were Montenegro is Not for Sale! and For Love - Love Connects, Heart says no! . The Unionist Camp or "Bloc for Love", Together for Change political alliance's campaign relied mostly on
11742-530: Was halved from $ 3,000 to $ 1,500. An estimated 3 million Yugoslavs (Serbs and Montenegrins) lived below the poverty line, suicide rates increased by 22% and hospitals lacked basic equipment. Along with this, supply links were cut, which meant that the Yugoslav economy could not grow, and imports or exports needed for industries could not be obtained, forcing them to close. The crippled state of the Yugoslav economy also affected its ability to wage war, and after 1992, Yugoslavia had an extremely limited military role within
11856-458: Was held in Montenegro on 21 May 2006. It was approved by 55.5% of voters, narrowly passing the 55% threshold. By 23 May preliminary referendum results were recognized by all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council , suggesting widespread international recognition if Montenegro were to become formally independent. On 31 May the referendum commission officially confirmed
11970-486: Was not allowed to join the United Nations. Throughout its existence, FR Yugoslavia had a tense relationship with the international community, as economic sanctions were issued against the state during the course of the Yugoslav Wars and Kosovo War . This also resulted in hyperinflation between 1992 and 1994 . FR Yugoslavia's involvement in the Yugoslav Wars ended with the Dayton Agreement , which recognized
12084-620: Was not approved by the UN Security Council, for fear of a veto by Russia, which would cause controversy as to its legality . The UN Security Council adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1160 , renewing arms and oil sanctions against FR Yugoslavia, and thus crippling its economy. The effects of continuous aerial bombardment and sanctions cost the Yugoslav economy hundreds of billions of USD and eventually forced Milošević's government to comply with an agreement put forward by an international delegation. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 led to substantial autonomy for Kosovo, and
12198-399: Was officially subordinate to his position. Milošević later forced Panić to resign. However, this situation changed after 1997 when Milošević's second and last legal term as Serbian President ended. He then had himself elected Federal President, thus entrenching the power that he already de facto held. After the federation was reconstituted as a State Union, the new Assembly of the State Union
12312-470: Was opposition leader Predrag Bulatović . The Movement for Changes , although de facto supporting independence, decided not to join the pro-independence coalition, on the arguments that they considered the independentists as largely made of 'DPS criminals', and that the bloc is an "Unholy Alliance" gathered around a controversial Prime Minister Milo Đukanović , seen by these party officials as an obstacle to complete democracy in Montenegro. A similar stance
12426-471: Was pleased that the referendum had complied with international standards, pointing out that "the people of Montenegro have expressed a clear desire for an independent state." A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry indicated that "China respects the choice of people of Montenegro and the final result of the referendum" in a regularly scheduled news conference on 23 May. The unanimous recognition of
12540-477: Was quick to respond, issuing a peace proposal to Yugoslavia in 1999. The agreement was seen as an essential ultimatum by NATO to Yugoslavia, and this rejected by the Yugoslav government. NATO responded in March 1999 by ordering airstrikes against Yugoslav military targets and infrastructure, including roads, railroads, administrative buildings and the headquarters of Radio Television Serbia . NATO's bombing campaign
12654-620: Was replaced by a new coat of arms representing Serbia and Montenegro. The new state also established the office of the president, held by a single person, initially appointed with the consent of the republics of Serbia and Montenegro until 1997 after which the president was democratically elected. The President of Yugoslavia acted alongside the Presidents of the republics of Serbia and Montenegro. Initially, all three offices were dominated by allies of Slobodan Milosevic and his Socialist Party of Serbia . On 26 December 1991, Serbia, Montenegro, and
12768-511: Was still commonly used. A new constitutional charter was agreed to provide a framework for the governance of the country. On Sunday, 21 May 2006, Montenegrins voted in an independence referendum , with 55.5% supporting independence. Fifty-five percent or more of affirmative votes were needed to dissolve the confederation and Yugoslavia. The turnout was 86.3% and 99.73% of the more than 477,000 votes cast were deemed valid. The subsequent Montenegrin proclamation of independence on 3 June 2006 and
12882-497: Was taken by the ethnic Albanian Democratic League in Montenegro , which called the Albanians of Montenegro to boycott the referendum. Regardless, most ethnic Albanians voted for independence. Polling throughout the campaign was sporadic, with most polls showing pro-independence forces leading but not surpassing the 55% threshold. Only in the later weeks did polls begin to indicate the threshold would be passed. On 24 March 2006,
12996-490: Was the most important route connecting Serbia with Montenegro. The Danube , an important international waterway, flowed through Serbia. The Port of Bar was the largest seaport located in Montenegro. Southeast Europe Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe ( SEE ) is a geographical sub-region of Europe , consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans , as well as adjacent regions and archipelagos . There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of
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