20 YEARS SINCE THE RESTORATION OF STATEHOOD: Exactly two decades ago, the anthem “Bože pravde” was intoned for the first time!

After 88 years, Serbia became an independent state again on June 5, 2006, with the adoption of a Decision in the National Assembly, according to which the Republic of Serbia is the legal successor of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. The restored independence of Serbia was a consequence of the referendum on May 21 in Montenegro, in which the majority of the turnout citizens voted for independence.

Following the referendum held in Montenegro on May 21, 2006, in which 230,661 citizens or 55.5 percent of the turnout voters voted for the independence of Montenegro, the two members of the state union became independent states.

There were 185,002 citizens or 44.5 percent of the turnout voters in favor of remaining in a joint state with Serbia. On June 3, 2006, based on the referendum results, the Parliament of Montenegro declared the independent Republic of Montenegro.

Two days later, on June 5, 2006, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Decision on the obligations of state organs of the Republic of Serbia in exercising the competencies of the Republic of Serbia as the successor to the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. This formally ended the existence of the state union.

On the same day, the Government of the Republic of Serbia also recognized the independence of Montenegro.

Although actually a historical restoration of Serbia’s independence, it passed quietly both in the then National Assembly and in the entire country, without street euphoria and celebration, almost without state honors, mostly – technically and administratively.

At the extraordinary session of the Assembly on June 5, it was noted that on the basis of Article 60 of the Constitutional Charter, Serbia is the sole legal successor of the state union of SCG, thereby automatically inheriting its seat in the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as international agreements.

The session in the National Assembly was attended by only slightly more MPs than the quorum. President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica were not present.

But, at the end of the session, for the first time since 1918, the anthem “Bože pravde” was officially intoned in the parliament as the anthem of the independent state of Serbia.

The next day, on June 6, 2006, in front of the Ministry of Defense in Birčaninova Street, guardsmen lowered the flag of SCG and raised the tricolor of Serbia. The blue-white-red tricolor, a symbol of the former Yugoslavia, was seen off with the intoning of the anthem “Hej, Sloveni”, and the Serbian red-blue-white flag was raised on the mast to the bars of “Bože, pravde”.

On that day, the Government of Serbia began the technical process of taking over federal institutions, the ministries of defense and foreign affairs, as well as the complete diplomatic network, and the international community confirmed diplomatic continuity with Belgrade.

Sports selections survived somewhat longer than the state union.

Football players of Serbia and Montenegro played the group stage in June at the World Cup in Germany, while basketball players reached the round of 16 of the World Cup in Japan in August.

Referendum in Montenegro with EU mediation

The holding of the referendum in Montenegro was preceded by negotiations between representatives of the blocks for independence and the joint state through the Slovak diplomat and European Union mediator Miroslav Lajčák.

In the months-long negotiations, the most disputes were around the majority needed for the referendum to succeed. With EU mediation, it was agreed that the support of 55 percent of the total number of turnout voters was required for the referendum’s success.

The referendum question read: “Do you want the Republic of Montenegro to be an independent state with full international legal subjectivity?”. The referendum was monitored by more than 3,400 observers.