Pressure builds on Djukanovic

Pro-independence supporters celebrated the narrow win

PODGORICA, Yugoslavia -- The European Union is urging Montenegro to rethink its plans for a referendum on independence from Yugoslavia.

The call came after Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic reiterated his commitment to push ahead with the vote after narrowly winning Sunday's parliamentary elections.

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said: "The EU opposes any unilateral steps which could run contrary to the stability of the region."

Sweden, which holds the EU presidency, said Djukanovic should not to act hastily to break up the federation.

"The election results in Montenegro give no clear mandate for continuing with a referendum on independence," said Sweden's Foreign Minister Anna Lindh, urging Montenegro to resume "serious negotiations" with Serbia "on their common future."

The United States has echoed the call for a prompt start to negotiations on Montenegro's future in Yugoslavia.

UK Foreign Minister Robin Cook will meet Djukanovic on Wednesday as part of a two-day Balkan trip.

Pro-independence supporters gained 42 percent of the parliamentary vote on Sunday after 98 percent had been counted, with anti-independence parties winning 40.6 percent. The official results are due on Tuesday.

The narrow victory was disappointing for Montenegro's president Milo Djukanovic who had hoped for a clearer mandate to push for a split from the dominant Yugoslav republic of Serbia.

Once a governing coalition was formed with the pro-independence Liberal Party, which won 7.6 percent of the vote, a referendum could be held as early as June, Djukanovic's spokesman Miodrag Vukovic said.

With such a narrow margin between the factions, a referendum could increase the possibility of violence as pro-Yugoslav supporters seek to prevent a break from Serbia.

Both Serbia and Yugoslav federal authorities say they would not use force to prevent Montenegro's secession, but any violence within Montenegro would likely draw in thousands of Serb volunteers who would fight on the side of the pro-Yugoslav faction.

The threat of a referendum boycott by pro-Yugoslavia voters could void the result anyway.

At least 50 percent of all eligible voters must participate in a referendum for it to be valid, so nearly all those supporting independence would have to turn out, which is unlikely.

Predrag Bulatovic, head of the pro-Yugoslavia bloc, said the results meant a de facto victory for his grouping.

Yugoslavia's President Vojislav Kostunica said the strong showing by anti-independence voters had revived hopes that the Yugoslav federation would remain intact. It had comprised six republics before it disintegrated in bloody Balkan wars in the early 1990s.

"The elections confirmed that the idea of a joint state of Montenegro and Serbia still lives," Kostunica said.

"The elections are a sign that... we are getting closer to rational solutions, which will benefit us all."

Kostunica called for a political compromise between the opposing factions in Montenegro, the official Tanjug news agency reported.

"I see that the population is basically split," said Girard Stoudmann, a senior representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Under such circumstances a referendum "would not be wise," he added.

Before the vote, Montenegrin independence was viewed as a potential source of instability in the fragile Balkans by the U.S. and its European allies.

Montenegro: no strong mandate
April 23, 2001
Slim win for Montenegro president
April 23, 2001
Polls close in Montenegro
April 22, 2001
Montenegro election facts
April 22, 2001
Montenegro warned against secession
April 20, 2001

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