Prague Twin

Monday, May 22, 2006

Serbia and Montenegro

A new country was born today when Montenegro decided by way of referendum to split from Serbia.

The EU has commended Montenegro on its decision and promised to honor the decision to split from Serbia. They also plan to consider Montenegro for EU membership.

This does not come as much of a surprise. Any country with an "and" in the middle of its name is a candidate for a split.

Congratulations Montenegro. I wouldn't want to share my country with the Serbians either.

posted by Praguetwin at 4:38 PM

17 Comments:

  • It has been a tortuous process, the breakup of Tito’s kingdom. The cheers when small, homogenous communities achieve self determination are invariably counterbalanced by the problems they face in a brutal global market.
    Still, I cheer for the people of Montenegro, today. Also to you for putting this on the radar.

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 5:37 PM  

  • Your my news source for all things on the other side of the pond that our MSM doesn't cover.

    the first link didn't work fyi..

    By Blogger Unknown, at 8:52 PM  

  • Tortuous is a good way to describe it. I'm sure Montenegro has a long way to go, and this is the party (hangover later), at least they get to make or break it on their own terms.

    Thanks for the kind words.

    Dusty,

    It was like a blip on the radar over here, so I had a good feeling that it would be nonexistent over there. Thanks for the heads-up on the link. I put in a new one.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 10:45 PM  

  • What do you mean "blip on the radar?" They were singing "ONAMO 'NAMO" in my neighborhood.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:38 AM  

  • I haven't read my local paper yet, but for some reason I get this feeling that this news is left out. Thank you for keeping us informed.

    God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

    By Blogger David Schantz, at 10:51 AM  

  • I hadn't heard about this news story either. You don't think there's any comparison between Tito's kingdom, as cartledge put it, and Saddam's former kingdom?

    By Blogger Reality-Based Educator, at 12:28 PM  

  • RBE,

    Of course there is a parallel. the paradigm fo Iraq was always Yugoslavia. Both were countries of diverse ethnicities, whose long standing relationships could best be described as competitive, which were cobbled togther by the greta powers after a world war.

    Instead of reading history, the Bush administration believed it had achieved knowledge by drinking it's own bathwater.

    Democaracy can only flourish when and where the loyalty of indivduals lies first to governmental institutions rather than to family, tribe, or sect. Is there any realistic possibility of that happening in Iraq w/in our lifetimes?

    My neocon firends are fond of pointing out to me that the the United States had civil war more than 80 years after it was founded. This fact seems to botster my point.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:35 PM  

  • It is my pleasure to help distribute information.

    So it was, in fact, largely left out of U.S. news.

    Hmmm.. Doesn't really fit in with the paradigm of a united Iraq, I suppose. Here, however, I saw pictures of the celebration on the front page of a throw away rag. They had a picture of a really nice looking Montenegrin girl celebrating. What is it with orange and revolution these days? Not enough good colors to go around I guess.

    Tony, I laugh every time I read that first comment. Nice one.

    RBE,

    I'm sure there is a parallel, but Tito was pretty benign next to Saddam, and in the end, he managed to get some industry started. Had the Yugoslavs not imploded, places like Slovenja could be relatively prosperous. Even still, Slovenja and Coatia are making rapid steps towards modernization. Economically, Slovenja has qualified for the Euro, but the Czech Crown has not.

    Tony, you make some excellent points. I would qualify the statement about loyalty to include, for example, the very pious early American population. Surely deeply religious people have an ability to perform in a democracy. There just needs to be enough political will in the country to make it happen.

    Can you please expand on your last point? I think I know what you are getting at, but it is an important point and I would like to get it right.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 2:58 PM  

  • Indeed, I have not seen a word about it in the MSM. I know everything you need to know about the Duke rape scandal however.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:46 PM  

  • I must, in defence of sound news coverage report that the story was well covered in both the British and Australian media.
    Sadly Canadian media has moved far into the 'filling gaps between ads' approach to news.
    I could well imagine myself believing there was no outside world, without web access, now I am living in this part of the world.

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 8:26 PM  

  • Please Arch! Do tell! The crucial issue of our lifetime (along with the gay telle-tubbie, of course) and the damn European media is too busy with trival matters like A NEW COUNTRY being established.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 9:09 PM  

  • Just out of interest, is there anything on the radar there about a propsed union of Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo?

    By Blogger Cartledge, at 9:13 PM  

  • Cartledge,

    Welcome to North America. More of an island than Australia. The outside world no longer needs to exist if you don't want it to.

    Imagine if you grew up there and didn't have the internet.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 9:14 PM  

  • C,

    I haven't heard anything about that. I should ask my friends from the area.

    I was just talking to a Bosnian friend of mine and he thinks it is going to be very problematic. Of course he had a good laugh about the fact that if Montenegro is let into the EU, the Serbians will need a visa to go to the coast.

    I'm sure everyone feels just horrible about that.

    It seems like I keep posting while you are posting and I am a step behind.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 9:30 PM  

  • It really is sad,, Not only do I know all about the Duke thing, but now thanks in large part to the Natalie Holloway Aruba thing I feel so well versed in Dutch law that I was thinking about figuring out how I would go about passing their equivalent of the Bar examination!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:14 AM  

  • A new country, huh. Thanks for the info. I agree that a country with "and" in the middle isn't destined to last long. I hope Montenegro is all (or mostly) one ethnic group so they won't be torn apart by ethnic warfare.

    By Blogger Tom Harper, at 4:20 AM  

  • Go Arch! I have to confess though, we got a lot of coverage on the Hollaway thing when it happened. Still not a peep about Duke.

    Tom,

    I think it is getting down to just that. Bosnia and Herzrgovina could be next though.... and you know why.

    My Bosnian friend was saying how Montenegro was latching on to Serbia for protection all the way through, and now when it is calm, they seperate. There is so much resentment down there for past acts. Don't think anyone forgets that the Croatians loved Hitler either, because they don't.

    By Blogger Praguetwin, at 7:26 AM  

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