Montenegro votes on future in election billed as choice between West and Russia

[webfact]

Montenegro votes on future in election billed as choice between West and Russia

Luke Barber

 

 

PODGORICA: -- Montenegro will go to the polls on Sunday as citizens vote in a national election seen by some as a referendum on the country’s western integration.

 

Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic of the country’s ruling Democratic Party of Socialists has presented the election as a choice between joining NATO or becoming what he referred to as a Russian colony under the opposition.

 

He has previously accused Russia of pouring money into Montegro’s election in an attempt to derail plans to take the country closer to the European Union.

 

However, he is said by the opposition to have allowed a culture of cronyism and organised crime to flourish during his quarter century long reign.

 

NATO invited the small Balkan country to join last year, however many remain suspicious of the organisation following its bombing of Montenegro in 1991.

 

Although there are few reliable polls, the desertion of Djukanovic by long-term allies suggest the results will be close.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-10-17

[webfact]

Unofficial results: Montenegro pro-West ruling party wins

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC

 

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro's pro-West ruling party has won the most votes in the small Balkan country's parliamentary election on Sunday, according to unofficial results, but without enough support to govern alone and assure the country's chartered course into NATO and other Western institutions.

 

The tense election was marked by the arrest of 20 people suspected of planning politically motivated armed attacks after the polls closed in the vote during which Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic faced the toughest challenge yet to his quarter-century rule.

 

The independent CeMI election monitoring group said that with 100 percent of the vote counted, the Democratic Party of Socialists won 41 percent, while two opposition parties — the Democratic Front and the Key Coalition have — 20 and 11 percent respectively. The monitoring group used its own vote count at the polling stations.

 

Both the ruling party and the opposition claimed they have enough seats to form the country's future government. They will have tough time to form post-electoral coalitions with small groups that enter the 81-seat parliament. The outcome of those negotiations will determine whether the state continues on its Western course or turns back to traditional ally Russia.

 

Partial official results are expected to be released Monday and complete results on Tuesday.

 

Djukanovic told his supporters that he will soon start negotiations with potential coalition partners.

 

"A big power has moved against the small Montenegro, but we have succeeded," Djukanovic said, referring to Russia and its open support of the opposition.

 

"Tonight we can safely say that Montenegro is heading toward the European integrations and we will soon ratify the accession agreement with NATO."

 

The parliamentary vote pitted Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists against a cluster of pro-Russian and pro-Serbian opposition groups that staunchly oppose the government's pro-Western policies, especially its NATO bid.

 

Police Director Slavko Stojanovic said those arrested Saturday night came from Serbia and planned to collect automatic weapons to attack state institutions, police and possibly state officials after the vote.

 

Serbia's former special forces commander, Bratislav Dikic, who was removed from the post in 2013 because of his alleged criminal activities, was among those arrested.

 

Stojanovic said they were charged of "forming a criminal organization and terrorism." He said one Serbian is still on the run.

The prosecutor's office said the group planned to attack people who gather in front of the parliament when the vote results are proclaimed, then storm the building in the capital and declare the victory "of certain parties" in the election. The statement said they also planned to arrest Djukanovic.

 

Police vans were seen bringing in the handcuffed suspects to the prosecutor's office in Podgorica, the capital.

 

There have been fears that violence could erupt on the streets of Podgorica between opposition and government supporters after the results of Sunday's vote were announced. The government also said hackers have attacked several web sites, including that of the ruling party.

 

Montenegro's interior minister has warned people to stay indoors instead of celebrating in the streets after election results are announced. Police vehicles were seen on the outskirts of the capital, but the streets were quiet.

 

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, meanwhile, hinted that the arrests might have been staged by the government.

"It's a strange day on which all this is happening, that is all I will say," Vucic said.

 

The scenic country of 650,000 people, squeezed between the Adriatic Sea and towering mountains, is deeply divided among those who favor and those who oppose Western integration. The outcome of Sunday's vote could jeopardize NATO and European Union enlargement in southeastern Europe and could prove decisive in the Kremlin's attempts to regain influence in the strategic Balkans region.

 

Predominantly Orthodox Christian like Russia, Montenegro was Moscow's historical ally. But after splitting with Serbia in a 2006 referendum, Montenegro took a strong turn toward Western integrations.

 

Russia strongly opposes the expansion of NATO in European ex-communist countries it considers part of its "strategic interests." The West is wary of Russian influence in the still-volatile region, which was engulfed in bloody civil wars in the 1990s.

 

Opposition leaders have accused Djukanovic of corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement and say he is trying to scare voters by suggesting that chaos will prevail if he loses.

 

"The only chaos will be within Djukanovic's cabinet," opposition Democratic Front leader Andrija Mandic said after he voted Sunday.

"I have no doubt that the opposition will show its strength and that the Democratic Front will become future framework of the Montenegro government," he added. "Today is the last day of Djukanovic's 27-year rule."

___

Associated Press writer Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade, Serbia.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-10-17

[nodomino]

Huh....So the people are still a bit resentful about being bombed and many are resentful of the crony government resulting from the Victorious Democratic Bombs that shattered the lives and blackened the hearts of the so many.  Somethings just cannot be understood.

[Rancid]

So NATO continues its expansion...this time joined by people they bombed. Seems reasonable.

[craigt3365]

3 hours ago, Rancid said:

So NATO continues its expansion...this time joined by people they bombed. Seems reasonable.

Perhaps they consider this a better alternative?  Their history under Russian rule wasn't exactly perfect.

[harleyclarkey]

7 hours ago, Rancid said:

So NATO continues its expansion...this time joined by people they bombed. Seems reasonable.

 It lasted about two  months was was to protect Albanians from the genocidal Serbs. Yes, some civilians were killed. 

 

Guess they would be better under the Russians. The Russians have the greatest of respect for civilians.....as those in Aleppo can attest to.

[BMW Overlander]

6 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Perhaps they consider this a better alternative?  Their history under Russian rule wasn't exactly perfect.

 

They were never under Russian rule. I suggest you take a look at the map and get some Geography and History lessons.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, BMW Overlander said:

 

They were never under Russian rule. I suggest you take a look at the map and get some Geography and History lessons.

Understood very well. Be nice.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Bloc

 

Quote

The Eastern Bloc was the group of communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact.[1][2][3] The terms Communist Bloc and Soviet Bloc were also used to denote groupings of states aligned with the Soviet Union, although these terms might include states outside Central and Eastern Europe.

 

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

 It lasted about two  months was was to protect Albanians from the genocidal Serbs. Yes, some civilians were killed. 

 

Guess they would be better under the Russians. The Russians have the greatest of respect for civilians.....as those in Aleppo can attest to.

I do believe I saw damage in Dubrovnik from the Montenegro forces?

[BMW Overlander]

15 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Understood very well. Be nice.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Bloc

 

 

 

Yugoslavia which consisted of Montenegro and 5 other Republics and 2 autonomous provinces was never part of Eastern Block. They were one of the founding members of non-aligned movement.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, BMW Overlander said:

 

Yugoslavia which consisted of Montenegro and 5 other Republics and 2 autonomous provinces was never part of Eastern Block. They were one of the founding members of non-aligned movement.

 

Understand!  But at one time,  very close to the USSR.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslavia

 

Quote

 

On 31 January 1946, the new constitution of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, modeled after the Soviet Union, established six republics, an autonomous province, and an autonomous district that were part of SR Serbia. The federal capital was Belgrade. The policy focused on a strong central government under the control of the Communist Party, and on recognition of the multiple nationalities.[18]

 

The country distanced itself from the Soviets in 1948 (cf. Cominform and Informbiro) and started to build its own way to socialism under the strong political leadership of Josip Broz Tito.

 

 

I think we are in agreement,  I'm jus

 

[harleyclarkey]

20 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

I do believe I saw damage in Dubrovnik from the Montenegro forces?

 

Yes...I was in Dubrovnik just after the war ended with some guys who were involved. 

A gunboat from Montenegro stood off Dubrovnik and lobbed 2,000 shells into the old city. 

I saw many houses with their roofs blown off as the stone walls directed the blast upwards.

They got replacement red rolled roof tiles from Provence in France! I stood on the city wall and could see roof after roof with new tiles.

[craigt3365]

We rented a car for a week in Croatia.  Amazing to see all the houses that still have war damage.