Montenegro on the Eve of the Independence Referendum

As part of the U.S.-Montenegrin Policy Forum series, the New European Democracies Project at CSIS held a roundtable on the run up to the May 21st Montenegrin referendum on independence. The forum was held on Monday, May 8, 2006, at CSIS from noon to 2 p.m. in Fourth Floor Conference Room.

Ahead of the independence referendum, guest speaker Srdjan Darmanovic, director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), examined the key political and social factors that will help determine the outcome of the upcoming vote and reviewed the challenges faced by Podgorica both before and after the referendum. CEDEM is an independent think tank in Montenegro that seeks to contribute to the strengthening of civil society and consolidation of democracy in the republic. CEDEM often conducts opinion polls on the issue of statehood and Dr. Darmanovic presented his observations on public attitudes and expectations regarding Montenegro's future.