Currently, only two republics remain within Yugoslavia - Serbia and Montenegro. However, Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic stated that Yugoslavia no longer exists and cannot be created anew.

Currently, only two republics remain within Yugoslavia - Serbia and Montenegro. However, Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic stated that Yugoslavia no longer exists and cannot be created anew. At the same time, according to the Montenegrin president, this position does not mean that Montenegro is ready to enter into a conflict or even “start a war with Serbia.” Early parliamentary elections will be held in Montenegro at the end of April. It is expected that supporters of the current Montenegrin president who support the independence of the republic can win them. Immediately after the elections, a referendum will be held on the issue of the republic’s secession from the FRY.

As one of the manifestations of independence, the President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic announced the intention of the authorities of the republic to create their own army. According to him, Podgorica needs an army and the Ministry of Defense not in order to wage a war, but so that the residents of Montenegro have the opportunity to perform military service on the territory of their republic. Milo Djukanovic made this statement at one of the election rallies.

On this occasion, Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica stated that Belgrade will not interfere with the declaration of independence of Montenegro if the republic decides to leave the Yugoslav Federation. Kostunica noted, however, that he remains optimistic about the prospects for a united Yugoslavia. According to him, “Belgrade will not prevent Montenegro from separating from the FRY, but hopes that this will not happen.”

It should be noted that the soldiers of the 7th Battalion of the Yugoslav Armed Forces, stationed in the city of Belo Polje in northern Montenegro, have already received orders to move to Southern Serbia. This decision taken by Kostunica has a dual purpose. On the one hand, Yugoslavia wants to prove to the Serbian public that the new Yugoslav democratic government is capable of pursuing a “harsh hand policy” towards the Albanian separatists. On the other hand, it makes it possible for the FRY to fulfill the ultimatum set by the President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic. Djukanovic demands that the 7th battalion of the Yugoslav Armed Forces be withdrawn from the country by March 31, since, according to the Montenegrin president, it is literally “stuffed” with members of the Socialist Party of Serbia, whom Djukanovic considers to be agents of the former President of the FRY Slobodan Milosevic.

As for the international reaction to Montenegro’s desire to become an independent state, for example, the US government is concerned about the intention of the Montenegrin authorities to organize a referendum on the independence of the republic. US Representative David Johnson stated this at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council. The Montenegrin law on referendum provides that a decision can be made by a majority vote of voters if more than half of the population takes part in the vote. According to Johnson, this creates the possibility of such an important decision being made by only 25% of the total number of voters. The US representative called on the Montenegrin authorities to establish stricter conditions for the referendum. He also said that the United States does not welcome Montenegro's unilateral efforts to secede from Yugoslavia. According to him, the issue of the status of the republic should be resolved through honest and open negotiations between Belgrade and Podgorica.

The unity of Yugoslavia is coming apart at the seams