Serbia: officials to formally acknowledge Montenegro separation from the country

Photo: Serbia: officials to formally acknowledge Montenegro separation from the country

The Serbian lawmakers will meet for a special, 10-minute session, to acknowledge that their state is the heir to the Serbia-Montenegro union - the last shred of what was once a six-member Yugoslav federation.

Markovic explained that the assembly also will instruct all state institutions to wrap up Serbia's statehood within the next 45 days, including assuming the duties and responsibilities previously in the hands of the federal administration.

Montenegro's declaration of independence late Saturday has set in motion the process of splitting up and rehashing armed forces, diplomatic missions, common assets and responsibilities.

Already on Sunday, the last Serbia-Montenegro president, Svetozar Marovic, stepped down, as his government dissolved itself and the federal parliament announced it would not meet again, the AP reports.

The Montenegrin head of the Serbia-Montenegro army was replaced by a top Serbian officer, and other changes were to follow.

The Belgrade-based Defense Ministry said it would formally bring down the Serbia-Montenegro flag on the military headquarters within days, and raise the Serbian flag. The old flag will go to a museum, the ministry said.

Montenegro's president, Filip Vujanovic, meanwhile announced the creation of the Montenegrin army within days.

Serbia and Montenegro were the only two former Yugoslav republics that stayed together after the violent disintegration of the Balkan federation in the 1990s.