Campaigning gathers pace in Montenegro referendum

Campaigning in Montenegro on a referendum on independence from Serbia is gathering pace ahead of the election on May 21. President Filip Vujanovic and Prime Minister Milo Jukanovic are leading the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote.

They say independence would improve the Adriatic state’s economy and international relations. The already loose union with Serbia is all that remains of the former Yugoslavia, which was composed of six republics. Polls show the vote might be tight. Most ethnic Montenegrins, some 43 percent of the population, are expected to vote for independence, along with Bosnian Muslims, Albanians and other minorities. The 32 percent who are ethnic Serbs are mostly expected to vote ‘no’. The pro-union block says independence would sever historic ties with Serbia and allow the government to keep a stranglehold on the administration and the economy.

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