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Serbia-Montenegro: Therapy or divorce? | 18:23 February 23 | B92
Belgrade, Podgorica -- Wednesday – Yesterday, Montenegro presented Serbia a proposal to bring an end to the federal union of Serbia-Montenegro.Montenegro President and Prime Minister, Filip Vujanovic and Milo Djukanovic, delivered the proposal to Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic and Serbian President and Prime Minister Boris Tadic and Vojislav Kostunica, with hopes that they will reach an agreement, because this new model would take care of all the federal union’s shortcomings.
Serbia-Montenegro Judge Blagota Mitric said that the suggestions made by the Montenegrin officials can be carried out legally, adding that similar solutions do exist. He said that this suggestion of forming a union of two independent states has a goal in mind of easing the current relations between Serbia and Montenegro.
“Its legal fate is still up in the air, because it must first be adopted by each of the two states, and then by the federal parliament.” Mitric said.
Mitric said that this proposal is probably an effort to speed up the process of independence for Montenegro, which according to the Belgrade Agreement, must wait until 2006 to hold a referendum.
“The Belgrade Agreement was also adopted without the public’s knowledge, without a referendum, and it should have been passed with a referendum. If an agreement resulting from this proposal is to be discussed in Serbia, then it must be given a referendum, because it is the citizens’ responsibility to decide the status of the nation.” Mitric said.
One of the creators of the Serbia-Montenegro constitutional charter, Zoran Lutovac, said that all signs, including the fact that Montenegro was looking to postpone federal elections, point to the fact that Montenegro was preparing a proposal such as this one.
“The idea of a union of independent nations is not new, it existed even before the Belgrade Agreement, only the details are new. A union of independent states is a step towards autonomy, and autonomy is one of the topics, and should be discussed. However, it has to be said that some elements are not included, for starters, a proper sequence of events. We have received a finished proposal, without getting a political consensus or opinions from the citizens beforehand.” Lutovac said.
“On the basis of everything we know, Belgrade is in a completely different position, and I think that now it is more realistic to look for an agreement in procedure in reaching a proposal, rather than insisting on a proposal. Belgrade is against independence, mainly because independent states would once again have to ask to be internationally recognized as such, and I think that this would not be a question of Serbia and Montenegro, rather, of the international community.” Lutovac said.
Reactions from Belgrade
Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said that the proposal goes against all charters of the Belgrade Agreement. In a letter addressed to Vujanovic and Djukanovic, Kostunica said that there were many people who signed the Belgrade Agreement, and that those people have an obligation to respect what they signed into law.
“If you feel that the constitutional charters created by the Belgrade Agreement need to be changed, you can do so, but only through a procedure that it available along the guidelines of the constitutional charters themselves.” Kostunica said.
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus said that he will carefully look over the proposal and release a statement regarding his stance in a day or two. He said that Serbia-Montenegro needs a peaceful 2005, in order to deal with its most important question, Kosovo.
“Starting this summer, discussions regarding Kosovo’s status will begin, and we must be prepared for that.” Labus said.
The Democratic Party said that all proposals must be taken into consideration in solving the question of Serbia-Montenegro’s status, but stressed the party’s opinion that remaining a unified nation is the quickest and most effective way into the European Union for both Serbia and Montenegro.
Serbian Radical Party leader Tomislav Nikolic said that his party will not accept an agreement for the transformation of the federal union.
“We do not wish to accept this new experiment.” Nikolic said.
National Socialist Party President Predrag Bulatovic said that the proposal has intentions of destroying the union for good.
“The governments in Belgrade and Podgorica can discuss this, but only within its constitutional jurisdictions, which do not include the agreement which Milo Djukanovic is offering.” Bulatovic said.
Reactions from abroad
These officials, who wished to stay anonymous, said that reforms are doubly important because of the upcoming Feasibility Study that the European Commission is to give a report on in March. A positive critique is necessary for discussion for the Agreement for Stability and EU Accession to begin.
European Union High Official Javier Solana’s representative Christina Gallach, said that the EU will try and help Serbia and Montenegro to solve their problems and sustain the union, but will not impose any solutions.
“Solana is in constant contact with Belgrade and Podgorica, we are following the situation and trying to help, but it must be clear to everyone that the EU and Solana can do nothing to effect the situation directly.” Gallach said.
US ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro, Michael Polt, said that the US will support all agreements regarding the national status which Serbia and Montenegro reach in a democratic fashion.
“Decisions regarding the future are up to the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, and no one else.” Polt said.
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