BIRN
23 February 2008 Podgorica, Montenegro: More than 10,000 people attended a rally in Montenegro Friday backing Serbia's opposition to Kosovo's independence.
Montenegro's government was issued with a stark warning not recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence at the protest.
The rally was held in front of the country's parliament, with the backing of the Serbian List Party, other small pro-Serbian parties, along with the Socialist People's Party, which claims it represents 32 per cent of Montenegro's population who are ethnic Serbs.
"We are all together here to send a message that nobody in Montenegro should dare to recognise the so-called creation of Kosovo," said Andrija Mandic, leader of the Serbian List.
The leader of the Socialist Peoples Party, Srdjan Milic emphasised that "it is in the biggest interest of every free minded citizen of Montenegro to refuse to acknowledge state which does not exist," and to "reject the policy of diktats which have abducted the cradle of a nation.
"The biggest applause was received by the delegation of Kosovo Serbs headed by Milan Ivanovic.Hundreds of Serbian flags, together with one Montenegrin flag, and flags of countries that have so far spoken out against Kosovo's independence namely those of Russia, Spain and Greece, could be seen at the rally.
Priests from the Serbian Orthodox Church maintained a visible presence at the protest, and security forces surrounded the buildings of parliament and the government. However, the rally passed off without incident.
In contrast, the 7 per cent of Montenegro's population who are ethnic Albanians celebrated Kosovo independence's in their homes and at the local Albanian political party's headquarters. They did so after warnings from their political leaders and the government to avoid big celebrations that could upset the Serbian minority.
Ruling coalition leader Milo Djukanovic hinted in January that Montenegro will recognize Kosovo independence."We will follow the European Union’s position, but we will not hurry", Djukanovic said.The pro-Serbian opposition parties, that hold about 15 per cent of seatsin parliament, demanded a extraordinary parliamentary session to discuss whether to recognise Kosovo or not.
"I'm wondering what Montenegro gains from Kosovo's recognition? I will do all I can to prevent something which could endanger Montenegro's reputation in our history," said Milic.
16 comments:
I believe it would have been much easier to provide protection for Albanians than it would have been to calm the crowd in Pogorica if it got out of control.
The Serbs were allowed -- actually encouraged -- to protest, where 15,000 showed up, whereas Albanians were DEMANDED that they stay indoors, where at the most 1,000 would have celebrated outside their own territory
Don't believe this Slavic propagada bullshit, Montenegrins and Serbs are the same old shit!
I don't know who the hell you are dipshit but SERBIANS are NOT the same as Montenegrins and NEVER will be . that's like saying SERBS are like BOSNIANS...or how Mexicans are PUERTO RICAN...two EXTREMELY different polars...so don't try to say that those two are the same...NEVER...
Listen up YUGO! Why don't you go ahead then and tell me what the difference is between Montenegrins and Serbians??
Allow me to give you a head start:
1) you share the same language, 2) religion, 3)traditions, 4) history, 5) myths, and 6) symbols.
ALSO, you were both in unison when you ravaged against Croatia and Bosnia, both under the same command and distaste for non-Serbs!
Please tell me the difference because it is evident that you SLAVIC-BIAS has decieved you as it has to all Slavs all over the region.
Montenegrins (Montenegrin: Црногорци/Crnogorci) are a South Slavic people, historically and closely associated with Serbs, especialy from Herzegovina.
In both English and Serbo-Croatian, the term denotes both the nation and the ethnic group with a slightly different meaning, as well as being a regional designation.
In Montenegro, ethnic Montenegrins and Serbs are divided largely on the basis of ethnic self-identification. The issue of Montenegrin ethnicity is debated, especially since the late 20th century, as more and more Montenegrins ceased to opt for Serbian ethnic affiliation as the primary one.
The split has deepened further since the movement for full Montenegrin independence from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia began to gain ground in the mid-1990s, and ultimately narrowly succeeded in the referendum of May 2006 (having been rejected in 1992).
The Montenegro Serbs though, do not consider themselves separate from the Montenegrin nation but instead believe all Montenegrins are in fact at least to some degree Serb.
The sense of being Montenegrins is somewhat accepted by all of the country's Slavs.
In the 2003 census, over 270,000 or 43% of the population of Montenegro identified themselves as ethnic Montenegrins, while around 200,000 or 32% identified themselves as Serbs.
The number of "Montenegrins" and "Serbs" fluctuates wildly from census to census, not due to real changes in the populace, but due to changes in how people experience their identity
The number of Montenegrin citizens in Serbia runs to several hundreds of thousands (nearly 300,000 est.), but most of them identify as Serbs. In addition, a significant number of Serbs in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina are of Montenegrin ancestry, but exact numbers are difficult to assess - the Montenegrins contributed greatly to the colonization of Serbia in the 19th century, with the entire population of Sumadija and the surroundings being populated by Montenegrins, with the majority of the Serbian 19th & early 20th century ruling classes and intelligence being from Montenegro.
While Montenegro and Serbia have practically always (up to 1918) been distinct states, the Montenegrins of the time almost universally considered themselves as Serbs. In the 19th century national romanticism among the South Slavs fuelled the desire for unification, particularly between the Montenegrins and the Serbians. They were considered as two parts of a single Serb nation.
The closeness of the Montenegrin ethnic identity with that of the Serbs is evidenced by a number of cultural and political factors during this period:
During Petar I Petrović Njegoš's reign, the basic textbook in state schools was called "The Serb elementary reading book". Another edition was published during Petar II Petrović Njegoš's rule;
During the reign of Danilo II Petrovic Njegos, the pupils had classes in Serb Grammar; Montenegrin History; and Serb History.
The geography syllabus at the College of Theology consisted of "studying the Serb lands independent, subjugated and occupied as well as the main cities, places and villages in the entire Serbdom".
The geography textbook for the 3rd grade of elementary school, in 1911, said:
In Montenegro live only true and pure Serbs who speak the Serbian language... Besides Montenegro there are more Serb lands in which our Serb brothers live... Some of them are as free as we are and some are subjugated to foreigners.
Numerous school certificates, passports and similar documents preserved marked the bearer's nationality as "Serbian";
The 1909 census, undertaken by the Principality of Montenegro, recorded that 95% of the population identified themselves as Serbs.
even Slobodan Milošević was a Serb of Montenegrin descent, the first generation of his family to be born in Serbia. His daughter, Marija Milošević, and his brother, the former ambassador to Russia Borislav Milošević, declare themselves an ethnic Montenegrins.
Most Montenegrins are Eastern Orthodox Christians, belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church
I am Aleksandar Mihajlovic. I live in France.I am of Serb origin. And
I have studied the so-called "montenegrin history" with accurate
interest for years.
I can testify that Montenegrins have always been
Serbs. In the IX-X-XIth centuries, byzantine writers spoke about the
people of Dioclea, Zeta as Diocleans, Dalmats, or Serbs (See
Constantine Porphyrogenetus, the Pope of Dioclea...). In the middle
ages, the Zeta was at the center of the Nemanjic state. Stefan Nemanja
was born in Ribnica, near Podgorica. Milos Obilic was a Montenegrin.
Serbian Patriarch from the XVIIth century, the famous Arsenije
Crnojevic, was born in Cetinje. Karadjordje's grandparents came from
the Vasojevices. The royal Obrenovic family was a Kuc family. And
Vladika Petar Petrovic Njegos II, the famous poet, said in his book
"Pustinjak Cetinski", written in 1834:
" Srbin srpskom rodu svome
Ovo djelce posvecuje
Njegovo je sitno sv'jece
Po livadi prajov Srpstva
I uzraslo i pobrato
I u v'jenac rodu dato. "
People who intended to eraise history and to destroy the
serb cultural identity (Tito and his fellow Djilas) invented the
montenegrin nationality.Today, ignorant and manipulated people want to
deny the Montenegrins their own history. The traditional
montenegrin kapa contains a drawing with the four c : samo sloga
srbina spasava. Do the independant, "green" montenegrins want to hide
that ? Do they know that on passports of the Kingdom of Montenegro, it
was written : Nationality : Serb. Citizenship : Montenegrin.
Today we unfortunately experience criminal attempts by
independantists and their allies to deny what they are. For all of
those who are attached to "srpstvo", it is dramatic. I regret your
site, by completely ignoring the Serb national name, is involved into
this demolition of montenegrin true identity.
LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY:
ITS LIKE ME SAYING -- I AM AN ALBANAIN FROM MONTENEGRO AND MY BEST FRIEND IS AN ALBANIAN FROM KOSOVA -- WE ARE DIFFERENT?
BULLSHIT, WE ARE THE SAME!
Montenegrins have NEVER been Serbs and never will be Serbs. To say that we are the same people is completely false.
Also, it is absolutely false that the Montenegrins were encouraged to protest against Kosova's independence. Some of the students who left school and went to demonstrate were expelled and 8 professors from "Mashinska skola" are going to be suspended.
The most tragic piece of Montenegrin history is the so called "white terror" caused by the Serbians and their followers especially around my hometown of Cetinje and Katunska Nahija. We fought the guerrilla war from 1918-1924 against the Serbian occupiers who burned our homes,burned women and kids alive (the Petar Zvicer's family in 1924 in village of Cuce)the mustache was illegal, along with starvation,assimilation and constant discrimination...which is all well documented.
Many Montenegrin soldiers loyal to the king Nikola I and Montenegro went into exile.First to Italy and towns of Brindisi,Gaeta,Formia and then to Argentina. Many have never returned and today there is a Montenegrin colony in province Chaco, Argentina.Montenegrins were used and manipulated by the government of former SFRJ to colonize Vojvodina region after WWII. There is a town called Lovcenac populated by the people from Katunska Nahija. www.krstas.org
There are many other examples of the Montenegrin repression by the Serbs and their followers in Montenegro of us, ethnic Montenegrins. We are actually a minority in our own country.After the so called Serbs,Bosniaks, Albanians, and Croatians we are the true minority.We don't have our own church,language and just 15 years ago when we displayed our national flag we were called out as traitors.
So, please don't tell me that we are the same people as the Serbs.
During the ex-yu we were just like Kosovars, oppressed in every way possible. Why we didnt have Medical School in Podgorica? Why did so many Montenegrins go to study in Serbia? Why we had the worst roads in the country?Why were we the worst off republic in ex-yu besides Kosova?
The true answer is that they tried to assimilate us to become Serbians, but we resisted and we were able to defend our pride and honor.
I have many good friends from Malesia,Ulqin...I am familiar with the customs and traditions of people of Malesia who I truly respect.Therefore I understand the frustration of the Albanian people in Montenegro,and I am not here to argue or dispute that. I am here to present the real, true facts about us the true Montenegrins who will always be friends of Malisors and the other Albanian people living in Montenegro.
"Montenegro, our house, our home in which all the tenants are treated the same" -Slavko Perovic
Respectfully,
Luka N. Popovich
Chicago
OK, Luka ... but answer the question: Where is the demarcation line between Serbs and Montenegrins?
What mnakes you different?
- Nik Gjurashaj
Luka, what you wrote explains it all. But you have to understand, unlike myself, some of the these Albanians from Montenegro that post comments here never lived in Montenegro. So... I can understand their point of view, as well. But, my dear people, there is a HUGE difference between a true CRNOGORAC and a true SRBIN. For me, these two were never the same, and never will be.
Regards all!
T.
T -- do you mind (finally) explaining to us non-Montenegrins what the true difference is?
I think we're all waiting for a response.
- P.
Post a Comment