Sovereign state – new tactics of Serbian parliament

We have to change our world map, because there appears new independent country – Montenegro . According to May referendum Montenegro detached from Serbia . After long disputes on this question Serbia declares itself sovereign state.

Photo: Sovereign state – new tactics of Serbian parliament

The 126 lawmakers unanimously acknowledged that their state is the heir to the union of Serbia-Montenegro the last shred of what was once a six-member Yugoslav federation. Serbia's parliament has 250 deputies, but the opposition boycotted the vote, walking out just before the balloting. The walkout briefly left the ruling coalition without the necessary majority, and triggered a break in the session.

The session later resumed, but the slim majority of votes in favor of the government-backed declaration even though it was just a formality signaled the weakness of Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's Cabinet.

" Serbia , as the legal heir to the state union, must formally take over, or inherit, what it has created," stressed parliament speaker Predrag Markovic.

The assembly instructed all state institutions to complete the process for Serbia's statehood within the next 45 days, including assuming the duties and responsibilities previously in the hands of the federal administration. Minutes after the vote, the Serbia-Montenegro flags were removed from the parliament building.

Neither Kostunica nor Serbian President Boris Tadic attended the session, in an apparent bid to downplay the fact that Serbia became an independent state by default when Montenegro declared independence following its May 21 referendum.

On Sunday, Montenegro said it has asked all of its Balkan neighbors, European Union states and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to officially recognize it and establish diplomatic relations with its government, reports the AP.

N.U.