Montenegro celebrates Independence Day, 17 years since the referendum

(Patria) - Montenegro is celebrating Independence Day today and 17 years since it restored state independence in a referendum.

At the referendum on May 21, 2006, 86.5 percent of the total number of voters participated.

Independence of the state was supported by 230,661, or 55.5 percent of the citizens of Montenegro who went to the referendum, while 185,002 or 44.5 percent voted to remain in a common state with Serbia.

The Parliament of Montenegro previously adopted the Law on Referendum, which was agreed upon with the recommendation of the European Union. For the referendum to be successful, it needed to be supported by 55 percent of the voters who participated.

The referendum question was - Do you want the Republic of Montenegro to be an independent state with full international legal subjectivity.

On March 2, the Parliament of Montenegro, at the proposal of the President of the Republic Filip Vujanović, made a decision to hold a referendum on the state-legal status on May 21.

Slovak František Lipka was elected President of the Republican Referendum Commission (RRK).

Citizens who had the right to vote in accordance with election regulations had the right to express their opinion in the referendum.

According to the data from the Republican Referendum Commission, 484.7 thousand citizens had the right to vote in the referendum.

In honor of Independence Day, May 21, 22, and 23 are non-working days.