Montenegro

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Crna Gora
Црна Гора
MontenegroMap.gif
Location of Montenegro.PNG
Flag of Montenegro.png
Arms of Montenegro.png
Flag Coat of Arms
Capital Podgorica
Government Parliamentary Republic
Language Montenegrin (official)
President Filip Vujanovic
Prime minister Igor Lukšić
Area 5,019 sq. mi.
Population 630,000 (2020)
GDP 2007 $4.448 billion
GDP per capita $7,168.7
Currency Euro
Internet top-level domain .me

Montenegro is a country located in Southeastern Europe, and is one of the former provinces of Yugoslavia. In 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the European Union - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence in June of 2006.

Geography[edit]

Montenegro shares borders with other former Yugoslav-countries - Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina - and Albania to the south; it also has a coastline on the Adriatic Sea.

People[edit]

Government and Political Conditions[edit]

Following Montenegro's declaration of independence, the first parliamentary elections were held on September 10, 2006. Both domestic and international observers assessed the elections as being generally in line with international standards. Zeljko Sturanovic of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) was appointed as Prime Minister. The newly elected Montenegrin parliament began work on the country's first post-independence constitution, which was adopted on October 19, 2007. The constitution, among other things, changed the country's official name to "Montenegro." European and Euro-Atlantic integration has been one of the driving forces behind the reform process that led to the signing of a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) on October 15, 2007.

Following the resignation of Prime Minister Sturanovic due to health reasons in February 2008, President Vujanovic nominated (and parliament approved) the leader of the ruling DPS, former Montenegrin President and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, as head of the government. Presidential elections were held on April 6, 2008, and incumbent President Vujanovic was elected for a second five-year term with 52% of the vote. Domestic and international observers assessed this election as being generally in line with international standards. On March 29, 2009, Montenegro held its second parliamentary elections, which according to international observers met almost all international standards. On June 10, 2009, the new parliament re-elected Prime Minister Djukanovic to a sixth term. Prime Minister Djukanovic’s new government includes several new ministries and ministers.

The Government of Montenegro continues to promote reforms that will bring the country closer to Euro-Atlantic institutions. Despite considerable progress since independence and success in maintaining inter-ethnic harmony, some ethnic tensions remain. The country must also cope with rule of law issues and uneven regional economic development.

Legislature[edit]

The parliament is Montenegro's lawmaking body. Parliament has 81 members elected in general elections. According to the results of the 2009 parliamentary elections, the governing DPS/SDP/BS/HGI coalition has 48 members of parliament, followed by the SNP (16 seats), NOVA (8), the PzP (5), DUA (one), FORCA (one), Albanian List coalition (composed of the Democratic Alliance in Montenegro and the Albanian Alternative) (one), and the Albanian Coalition-Perspektiva (composed of Party of Democratic Unity of Albanians and a group of citizens represented by Amir Hollaj) (one).

Principal Government Officials[edit]

Foreign Relations[edit]

Since the June 3, 2006 declaration of independence, the European Union, Serbia, and all permanent members of the UN Security Council have recognized Montenegro. The UN General Assembly voted on June 28, 2006 to admit Montenegro as a new member state. Montenegro joined the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on June 22, 2006, and the Council of Europe on May 11, 2007.

Montenegro signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU in October 2007, concluded a World Trade Organization (WTO) bilateral agreement with the EU in April 2008, and was invited to join an Intensified Political Dialogue with NATO at the April 2008 Summit in Bucharest. On December 15, 2008, Prime Minister Djukanovic formally submitted Montenegro’s application for EU membership to French President Sarkozy, whose country held the rotating EU presidency. Montenegro officially joined NATO on June 5, 2017.[1]

Defense[edit]

The Montenegrin Government has established a military and a Ministry of Defense. Further reform and transformation of both institutions is underway. The Montenegrin military operates under the joint authority of the Security and Defense Council, which consists of the president, prime minister, and the speaker of parliament.

Parliament also maintains oversight through its Security and Defense Committee. Montenegro officially entered NATO's Partnership for Peace in November 2006 and in April 2008 was invited to join an Intensified Political Dialogue with the Alliance. On November 5, 2008, Prime Minister Djukanovic submitted an official request to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to participate in the Alliance’s Membership Action Plan (MAP).

Economy[edit]

Montenegro has natural resources, primarily bauxite, adequate water supplies, and a climate conducive to agriculture and tourism. The establishment of the bauxite-alumina-aluminum industry after World War II provided Montenegro with a core strategic industry, which has suffered from high production costs since the first energy crisis in 1973. In the 1960s, tourism began its initial growth, largely attracting visitors from Eastern Europe. War and sanctions in the early 1990s hit Montenegro hard, and recovery only really began after the end of the Kosovo crisis in 1999 and the adoption of the deutschmark (DM) in November 1999, which largely disconnected Montenegro's economy from Serbia and the Serbian dinar.

During the last few years, Montenegro has begun creating a business-friendly investment climate. The Euro replaced the DM on March 31, 2002. The country established the lowest corporate tax rate in the region (9%) and Standard & Poors confirmed the long-term (BB+) and short-term (B) credit rating for Montenegro in November 2008. It also confirmed the AAA rating, which concerns the transfer and assessment of convertibility. According to official statistics the inflation rate in 2008 was 8.4%. More than 85% of capital value in Montenegrin companies had been privatized by June 2009. The banking sector, telecommunications, and oil import and distribution in Montenegro are 100% privately owned. Capital structure analysis shows that the state still has shares in 65 companies, and in 53.8% of those the state has more than 50% ownership. The biggest improvement Montenegro has made has been in the area of tax policy. Montenegro introduced value added tax (VAT) in April 2003, and introduced tax rates of 17% and 7% (for tourism) as of January 2006. The lower VAT rate for tourism is to encourage growth in this strategic industry. Montenegro also decreased the personal income tax (PIT), and a 12% flat rate was implemented in January 2008; a 9% rate will be implemented in January 2010.

There has been a rapid growth in tourism and tourism investments, particularly along the Adriatic coast, in the years since independence. The independent World Travel and Tourism Council repeatedly has ranked Montenegro as the top-growing tourism destination in the world, with growth estimated at 10% annually through 2016. Net foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2008 reached $1.223 billion, which was almost ten times higher than in 2004, and investment per capita in Montenegro is one of the highest in Europe. However, investment has slowed recently, in part as a result of the global economic crisis. According to preliminary data from the Montenegrin central bank, the amount of foreign investment in first quarter of 2009 was $279 million, which represents a decrease of 38% compared with the same period in 2008.

History[edit]

Montenegro resisted the rule of the Ottoman Turks, maintaining its independence and playing off its powerful neighbors against each other. Montenegro was recognized as an independent and sovereign principality by the Great Powers of Europe assembled at the Congress of Berlin on July 13, 1878.

During World War I, Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies but was defeated and occupied by Austria. Upon Austrian occupation, the Montenegrin king, King Nikola I, and his government went into exile. In late 1918, an Assembly met in Podgorica, and under the eyes of the Serbian army, deposed King Nikola and declared unification with Serbia. The government of Montenegro in exile denounced the Assembly's action, to no avail. From 1919 to 1941, Montenegro was part of what became known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, despite armed resistance in the early 1920s to rule from Belgrade.

When Yugoslavia was invaded and partitioned by the Axis powers in April 1941, Montenegro was appropriated by the Italians under a nominally autonomous administration. While some Montenegrins sided with Italy, motivated by antipathy against past rule from Belgrade, the Partisan Revolt in Montenegro began early, on July 13, 1941, and initially scored impressive successes against the Italian occupiers. Throughout World War II, Montenegro served as an effective base and refuge for Tito's Partisans. After the war, Montenegro was granted the status of a republic within Yugoslavia.

The breakup of the Yugoslav federation after 1989 left Montenegro in a precarious position. Between 1991 and 1992, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia all seceded from Yugoslavia. On April 27, 1992 in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro joined in passing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Though Montenegro reaffirmed its political attachment to Serbia, a sense of a distinct Montenegrin identity continued to thrive. The government of Montenegro was critical of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's 1998-99 campaign in Kosovo, and the ruling coalition parties boycotted the September 2000 federal elections, which led to the eventual removal of Milosevic's regime.

In March 2002, the Belgrade Agreement was signed by the heads of the federal and republican governments, setting forth the parameters for a redefinition of Montenegro's relationship with Serbia within a joint state. On February 4, 2003, the F.R.Y. parliament ratified the Constitutional Charter, establishing a new state union and changing the name of the country from Yugoslavia to Serbia and Montenegro. On May 21, 2006, the Republic of Montenegro held a successful referendum on independence and declared independence on June 3.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Jozwiak, Rikard (June 7, 2017). NATO Welcomes Newest Member Montenegro. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved June 7, 2017.

External links[edit]

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License: This work is in the Public Domain in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code
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Categories: [European Countries] [Montenegro] [Christian-Majority Countries]

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