Tiny Montenegro has voted in favour of a break away from Serbia. The nation has a population of around 650,000 - about the size of Glasgow. It's now hoping it can eventually join the EU.
In Britain, it would be like Wales breaking away from the rest of Britain.
Montenegro votes for independence
(Filed: 22/05/2006)
More than 55 per cent of Montenegrins have voted for independence, achieving the target set by the European Union for recognition of their referendum result, an official preliminary count showed.
Fratisek Lipka, the head of the state electoral commission, said that according to near-complete results, 55.4 per cent voted for Montenegro to become an independent state. The European Union said a minimum 55 per cent threshold of "Yes" votes was needed for Montenegro to separate from Serbia.
The result confirms the split of the Serbia-Montenegro union, and write the final chapter in the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
Thousands of independence supporters flooded the streets of the capital Podgorica and other towns to celebrate the restoring their statehood after 88 years of being in the Balkan union.
"I congratulate you on your state," pro-independence prime minister Milo Djukanovic said hours after the polls closed. "Today, the citizens of Montenegro voted to restore their statehood."
"This is the most important day in Montenegro's recent history," Mr Djukanovic added.
Outside the government building in Podgorica, thousands of supporters fired guns in the air in celebratory fire, and drove up and down the main street, honking the car horns and waving red-and-golden Montenegrin flags.
But tensions rose as the anti-independence faction refused to concede defeat, urging their opponents to return to their homes and wait for the official results. Predrag Bulatovic, leader of the unionist bloc acknowledged that the rivals were in the lead, but cautioned against hasty predictions.
"Every single vote is important," Mr Bulatovic said. "It is very important that the result of this referendum be verified in a proper manner."
The state-run television showed reports of celebrations all over the mountainous republic on the Adriatic Sea, whose population is just over 620,000 people. The TV congratulated the citizens on gaining independence, declaring Sunday "the day for history."
Montenegro was the only former Yugoslav republic that remained in a union with Serbia after the ex-Balkan federation dissolved in a series of bloody wars in the early 1990s'. But the pro-independence drive has gained strength in Montenegro over the years, climaxing in Sunday's referendum.
The turnout for the vote was 87 per cent of the population.
telegraph.co.uk
In Britain, it would be like Wales breaking away from the rest of Britain.
Montenegro votes for independence
(Filed: 22/05/2006)
More than 55 per cent of Montenegrins have voted for independence, achieving the target set by the European Union for recognition of their referendum result, an official preliminary count showed.
Fratisek Lipka, the head of the state electoral commission, said that according to near-complete results, 55.4 per cent voted for Montenegro to become an independent state. The European Union said a minimum 55 per cent threshold of "Yes" votes was needed for Montenegro to separate from Serbia.
The result confirms the split of the Serbia-Montenegro union, and write the final chapter in the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
Thousands of independence supporters flooded the streets of the capital Podgorica and other towns to celebrate the restoring their statehood after 88 years of being in the Balkan union.
"I congratulate you on your state," pro-independence prime minister Milo Djukanovic said hours after the polls closed. "Today, the citizens of Montenegro voted to restore their statehood."
"This is the most important day in Montenegro's recent history," Mr Djukanovic added.
Outside the government building in Podgorica, thousands of supporters fired guns in the air in celebratory fire, and drove up and down the main street, honking the car horns and waving red-and-golden Montenegrin flags.
But tensions rose as the anti-independence faction refused to concede defeat, urging their opponents to return to their homes and wait for the official results. Predrag Bulatovic, leader of the unionist bloc acknowledged that the rivals were in the lead, but cautioned against hasty predictions.
"Every single vote is important," Mr Bulatovic said. "It is very important that the result of this referendum be verified in a proper manner."
The state-run television showed reports of celebrations all over the mountainous republic on the Adriatic Sea, whose population is just over 620,000 people. The TV congratulated the citizens on gaining independence, declaring Sunday "the day for history."
Montenegro was the only former Yugoslav republic that remained in a union with Serbia after the ex-Balkan federation dissolved in a series of bloody wars in the early 1990s'. But the pro-independence drive has gained strength in Montenegro over the years, climaxing in Sunday's referendum.
The turnout for the vote was 87 per cent of the population.
telegraph.co.uk