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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia will fully respect final outcome of referendum in Montenegro

Belgrade, 23 May 2006

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today after a meeting with EU special representative for the referendum in Montenegro Miroslav Lajcak that Serbia will fully respect the final outcome of the referendum.

Miroslav Lajcak, left, and Vojislav Kostunica address the media

The Serbian Prime Minister said that the referendum in Montenegro is very important, but that it is imperative to wait for final results and check every single ballot because the entire referendum process must not be overshadowed by the slightest doubt. He added that the Serbian government will take a broader position on the steps to follow after the presentation of complaints to the referendum, answers to them and the announcement of final results.

Kostunica recalled that Serbia has had a constructive and responsible attitude towards the entire referendum process although it had a different opinion when it came to the establishment of voting rules, especially those which prevented citizens of Montenegro living in Serbia from casting their votes, as well as those concerning the majority threshold. However, from the moment the EU and both sides in Montenegro accepted those rules, Serbia accepted them as well.

The government and institutions of Serbia observed the entire process in an extremely correct manner, and immediately after the voting a serious irregularity was noticed, the fact that results were announced by two non-governmental organisations, barely 45 minutes after the counting of votes began, said Kostunica.

He reiterated that due to this it is necessary to wait for final results, adding that it is wrong to give any assessment hastily and in advance.

Since the referendum was announced, Serbia has been ready for any situation and for different options which the referendum could lead to, said Kostunica. He pointed out that a very convenient fact is that Serbia is the successor state of the state union and will inherit its legal system and institutions in entirety.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that confirmation of preliminary results of the referendum in Montenegro in that case would create a lot of work for Belgrade, above all in establishing the status of Montenegrin citizens in Serbia, but also the status of Serbs in Montenegro whose percentage is not small. He warned that these matters will be handled in the manner in which they were handled in all other cases.

Speaking on the Serbian government’s position concerning the state union, Kostunica said that it is in fact the overwhelming position throughout Serbia, and the government will not give it up. He repeated that the idea of preserving the state union is better than the division of Serbia and Montenegro. He added that holding on to that idea could bring no loss, because the majority of Serbian citizens consider that it is a better solution.

Lajcak expressed satisfaction with today’s talks with Kostunica. He said that they were encouraging, considering that all that was said at the beginning and during the referendum process was confirmed, that Serbia and Montenegro will respect the rules agreed upon and accept the legitimacy of the process.