Serbian–Montenegrin unionism

Serbian–Montenegrin unionism (Serbian: Српско-црногорски унионизам, romanized: Srpsko-crnogorski unionizam) is a socio-political movement which arose in the Balkans after the breakup of former Yugoslavia.^[1] It advocates Montenegro being in a political union with Serbia.^[1] The relationship between Serbs and ethnic Montenegrins is generally identified as being the most amicable of all the peoples of the former Yugoslavia.^[2] According to a 2023 national census, 205,370 Montenegrin citizens ethnically identify as "Serb", with 2,969 identifying as "Serbian-Montenegrin" or "Montenegrin-Serbian".^[3]

Flag of the former state of Serbia and Montenegro, also previously known as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1992 to 2003.

2003 proposed flag for Serbia and Montenegro. It was designed as a mix of the colour shades of the red-navy blue-white tricolour flag of Serbia and the 1993–2004 red-light blue-white tricolour flag of Montenegro. The proposal was scrapped after 2004 when Montenegro adopted its current flag that no longer had the tricolour.

Former flag of Montenegro, used officially between 1994 and 2004.

History

Further information: Rise of nationalism in the Balkans

Brotherhood between the states of Montenegro and Serbia is long-standing. In the 19th century, Montenegro and Serbia were officially recognized as independent states by the Ottoman Empire. The two entities since shared all essential experiences; they fought as part of the Balkan League when it came to ending the Ottoman presence in Rumelia during the First Balkan War, and they fought alongside each other against Austria-Hungary and the German Empire during World War I. Plans for unification were finally partially implemented after the war. The Podgorica Assembly in November 1918 concluded the decision to merge the Kingdom of Montenegro with the Kingdom of Serbia, followed by the creation of Yugoslavia. The Montenegrin monarchy was thereby removed, and opposition to the annexation culminated in the Christmas Uprising during 1919 in which a part the Montenegrin population demonstrated against the Serbian takeover.^[4]

When Yugoslavia was reformed after World War II, Montenegro became a republic alongside a Serbian entity reduced in size. When in 1991 and 1992, the remaining outstanding Yugoslav republics voted for independence, Montenegro chose to continue a federation with Serbia as Yugoslavia ("Serbia and Montenegro" after 2003). After 1996, Montenegro—led by rebel and former pro-unionist Milo Đukanović—reversed its direction and began taking measures to distance itself internally from Serbia and discontinue its role within the federation. This sentiment, which grew popular among the Montenegrin nation, led to the 2006 independence referendum which ended in a majority vote for independence (55.5% of the vote, with the threshold for approval of independence set at a supermajority of 55%).^[5][6]

Political parties in Montenegro that support unionism

Parliamentary parties: New Serb Democracy (national conservative, 9 MPs) Democratic People's Party[7] (populist, 4 MPs) United Montenegro (factions, conservative, 1 MP) Non-parliamentary: Free Montenegro (right-wing populist) Democratic Party of Unity (national conservative) Democratic Serb Party (christian democratic) Popular Movement (factions, populist/conservative)

Formerly: Democratic Party of Socialists (1990–1997) Socialist People's Party[8] (1997–2006) Defunct: People's Party (1990–1998, 2001–2017) Party of Serb Radicals (1991–2020) Serb People's Party (1998–2009) Yugoslav United Left in Montenegro (1994–2001) People's Socialist Party (2001–2009) Democratic Centre of Boka (2009–2014) Serb List (Party)[9] (2012–2020)

See also

• Accession of Montenegro to the European Union
• Accession of Serbia to the European Union
• Controversy over ethnic and linguistic identity in Montenegro
• Limitrophe states
• Montenegrin language
  • Montenegrin alphabet
• Near abroad
• Partition of Kosovo
• Rise of nationalism in the Balkans
  • Greek nationalism
  • Montenegrin nationalism
  • Serbian nationalism
• Serbian language
  • Serbian Cyrillic alphabet
• Serbianisation
  • Vardar Macedonia
• Union of Transylvania with Romania
• Yugoslavism
  • Corfu Declaration
  • Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
  • Nostalgia for the SFR Yugoslavia
  • Timeline of Yugoslavia
  • Yugoslav colonization of Kosovo
  • Yugoslavs

References

1. Morrison 2009, pp. 218.
2. Roberts 2007, pp. 37.
3. "Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Montenegro 2023" (PDF). Monstat. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
4. "Montenet - History of Montenegro: Podgorica's Assembly 1918". www.montenet.org. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
5. Referendum Commission of Montenegro at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
6. "Republicka komisija za sprovodjenje referenduma o drzavnom statusu Republike Crne Gore". 2006-07-20. Archived from the original on 20 July 2006. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
7. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2020). "Montenegro". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
8. Hans Slomp (2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 592. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
9. "Srpska lista: Crna Gora da bude sastavni deo srpske države". Blic.rs (in Serbian). 2015-11-25. Retrieved 2024-07-11.

Sources

• Morrison, Kenneth (2009). Montenegro: A Modern History. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1845117108.
• Roberts, Elizabeth (2007). Realm of the Black Mountain: A History of Montenegro. Ithaca, New York, USA: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4601-6.

Further reading

• Motyl, Alexander J. (2001). Encyclopedia of Nationalism, Volume II. Academic Press. ISBN 0-12-227230-7.
• Radoman Jovanović (1977). Politički odnosi Crne Gore i Srbije 1860-1878. Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore.
• Srdja Pavlovic (2008). Balkan Anschluss: The Annexation of Montenegro and the Creation of the Common South Slavic State. Purdue University Press. ISBN 978-1-55753-465-1.