Serbs of Montenegro
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Serbs are the second largest ethnic group in the Republic of Montenegro. They speak the Serbian language and are adherents of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The main pro-Serbian paper in Montenegro is The Day (Dan).
Contents |
[edit] Population
There are around 200,000 Serbs in Montenegro, where they form around 32% of its population; however, there are another 200,000 Montenegrin Serbs living in Serbia. It is believed that a large number of Serbs (a 10 million strong ethnic group) overall draws origin from Montenegro. Montenegrin citizens that declare themselves Serbs by nationality live mostly in the northern Montenegro (with centre in the town of Pljevlja) and in the Bay of Kotor, with Herceg Novi being the guardian of the Serbian tradition in the Bay.
Municipalities of Montenegro with absolute or relative Serb majority:
- Andrijevica (69.61%)
- Plužine (60.51%)
- Pljevlja (60.11%)
- Herceg Novi (52.88%)
- Žabljak (50.26%)
- Šavnik (47.44%)
- Berane (46.51%)
- Bijelo Polje (40.32%)
- Tivat (35.19%)
[edit] Language
Serbs in Montenegro speak the Serbian language, which is also the official and largest language of the country; around 65% of the population of the entire country speak it as their mother tongue.
[edit] Religion
Serbs are adherents of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the strongest religious institution of Montenegro (with 450,000 followers or 75% of the total population). The current Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral is Amfilohije Radović.
[edit] History
- Further information: Demographic history of Montenegro
[edit] Serbian Empire
Zeta/Duklja, together with other neighbouring states formed the Serbian Empire.
The demographics of the medieval Serbian Empire was predominantly Serb.
[edit] Principality of Montenegro
[edit] Kingdom of Montenegro
[edit] Kingdom of Yugoslavia
[edit] World War II
[edit] Communism
According to the 1948 population census conducted in all 13 districts of the People's Republic of Montenegro by the officials of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, 6,707 montenegrins or 1.77% of the total population declared themselves as Serbs. The highest percentage of Serbs was in the district of Herceg Novi (18.59%) and the district of Kotor (6.05%); lowest were in the districts of Danilovgrad (0.21%), district of Kolašin (0.24%), and district of Andrijevica (0.27%). Muslim Serbs in this census were listed under undecided.
The subsequent 1953 census of all 10 disctricts listed 13,864 citizens, or 3.3% of the total population. The highest share of Serbs was in the district of Boka Kotorska - 23.4% and the district of Bar - 3.08% and least in the districts of Durmitor and Berane (each 0.5%). It listed an increase of the Serbian populace in 106.7% since the last census - as many Montenenegrins by nationality started to return to their old national affilation. The period of Communism is typical for ethnic Montenegrins frequently switching between Montenegrin and Serb nationality and even backwards.
In 1954 Arsenije Budvarević, the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littiral was jailed and sent to an internment camp because of his religious zeal, where he stayed until his premature death in 1961. He was succeeded by the pro-Communist Danilo Dajković, who stayed in office until he died in 1991. Throughout the Communist regime, the Church suffered a lot.
The 1961 population census was conducted on the new level of municipalities in the People's Republic of Montenegro. It introduced new nationalities, Yugoslav and Moslem, which was opted by some Moslem and other Serbs. It listed 14,087 Serbs (2.98%): - * Ulcinj: 91 (0.56%) - * Bar: 387 (1.61%) - * Budva: 285 (5.89%) - * Tivat: 863 (14.44%) - * Kotor: 1,788 (10.74%) - * Herceg Novi: 4,261 (28.11) - * Podgorica: 2,306 (3.19%) - * Plav: 65 (0.34%) - * Berane: 330 (0.75%) - * Rožaje: 76 (0.51%) - * Bijelo Polje: 420 (0.9%) - * Pljevlja: 769 (1.64%)
In 1971 the authorities of the Socialist Federal Republic of Montenegro conducted a population census in the Socialist Republic of Montenegro. It listed 39,512 Serbs (7.46% of the total population):
- * Ulcinj: 223 (1.17%) - * Bar: 1,208 (4.37%) - * Budva: 1,469 (24.05%) - * Tivat: 971 (14.02%) - * Kotor: 3,362 (17.77%) - * Herceg Novi: 5,216 (28.39%) - * Podgorica: 5,175 (5.23%) - * Plav: 584 (2.98%) - * Berane: 3,920 (7.94%) - * Rožaje: 189 (1.17%) - * Bijelo Polje: 3,493 (6.64%)
The Serbian element in Montenegro was under frequent and heavy pressure by the Communist government. The suffers culmiated with the destruction of Montenegro's highest cultural symbol and the symbol of Serbdom of Montenegro by the Communists, Njegoš's Chappel at the peak Lovćen and turning it into a state museum. The voice of the Serbdom of Montenegro was throughout most of the Communist age Mihailo Petrović-Njegoš, the heir to the Montenegrin Regal throne, who refused to return to his homeland and remained in exile writing and inspiring against the Communist propaganda. Especially did it worsen after the 1974 Constitution of SFRY which further decentralized the country and gave more authority to the rebublican government. - - The 1981 census listed 19,407 Serbs (3.32%): - * Ulcinj: 241 (1.11%) - * Bar: 1,263 (3.88%) - * Budva: 899 (10.41%) - * Tivat: 850 (9.12%) - * Kotor: 1,703 (8.32%) - * Herceg Novi: 3,844 (46.52%) - * Podgorica: 4,060 (3.06%) - * Plav: 90 (0.46%) - * Berane: 847 (1.7%) - * Rožaje: 159 (0.78%) - * Bijelo Polje: 949 (1.7%) - * Pljevlja: 2,296 (5.3%)
The other municipalities of Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Kolašin, Mojkovac, Nikšić, Plužine, Šavnik, and Žabljak had small populations of Serbs as well throughout the communist censi.
[edit] 1990s
The 1990s brought multi-partial elections in the Republic of Montenegro and the rise of the Yugoslav nationalism, including the lightning-fast restoration of Serbian national affilation in Montenegro. In 1991, the nationalist Amfilohije Radović became the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, leading to a mass restoration of the Church's influence. The pro-Serbian Miloševič-sponsored regime of Momir Bulatović, Svetozar Marović and Milo Đukanović seized control in Montenegro. Serbian nationalism, Yugoslav unitarism (especially seen in the opposition to Croatia's secession from Yugoslavia as can be seen in the 1991-1992 Siege of Dubrovnik and in the support of the 1992-1995 Serb Republic of Bosnia and Herzgovina) and old Montenegro's rich cultural heritage became the main elements of the Milošević-styled Republic of Montenegro. At the Montenegrin independence referendum, 1992 the vast majority of the population opposed, forming the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia with the Republic of Serbia. Nevertheless, the Serbian political parties formed a coalition with the liberals, pacifist socialists and other opposition in a desperate cry to stop the Yugoslav wars, end the violence and the terror of Milošević's regime. The new 1992 Montenegrin Constitution changed the official language of the Republic to Serbian from Serbo-Croatian, In 1993, Montenegrin nationalists that were defrocked from the Serb Orthodox Church because of political and nationalist beliefs organized a para-branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church - the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, that is raising in popularity ever since. The failure of the Serbian side in the Yugoslav wars and eventual sanctions of FRY put an end to the Serbian national awakwning movement, and Milo Đukanović ousted Momir Bulatović (chasing him and his followers into opposition with the Serbs), creating his own political party and seizing much of Montenegro's governmental facilities and authority. His government's policy of opposing the Yugoslav centralist Milošević's regime and his regime in the Republic of Serbia saved him from condemnation at the West and eventual trial, closening the state to the hostile NATO. His pulling of Montenegro from Milošević's losing bloc gained him a lot of reputaion and ever since he used Montenegrin nationalism to stay in power. The Serbian opposition however was disappointed even more, accusing Milo of managing to escape punishments and staying in power merely because of treason and maintained tearing down of Milo's authoritarian regime, which committed severe criminal acts in the following years, its main goal.
[edit] Modern
In 2003, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was downgraded to a State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The compromise was that a Montenegrin became the President of this temporary country, and Svetozar Marović, one of the main three from Milošević's old "gang", an ally of Milo Đukanović and pro-independist for Montenegro, became its President. This left the Milo's politicians in much of the foreign policy control of the State Union and heavy campaigning for a successful independence referendum began.
According to the initial results of the 2003 census, there were 201,892 Serbs in Montenegro or 30.01% of the total population. Corrected data states that there were 198,414 Serbs (31.99%).
In 2006, Montenegro held another independence referendum. The compromise was that a 55% majority was needed, contrary to the Yugoslav standards of a two-third majority. The Coalition for independence (Yes!) flagged under the Serbian government is alleged to have committed numerious vote-balloting and Milo's regime using other means to asure the needed percentage. In the end, the Serbian Block for State Union (No!) lost, with the tight results of 55.5%:44.5%. Independence was proclaimed, although the Serbian parties and their allies boycotted.
[edit] Politics
The Serb political parties are the Serb People's Party (that won 12 seats out of 81 within the Parliament of Montenegro) and the Serb Radical Party (without influence) that together form a Coalition known as the Serbian List. It is the main opposition to the the current Montenegrin regime and is composed by many non-governmental organizations and pro-Serb factions in Montenegro.I t bases itself upon the protection of Serbs in Montenegro, the Serbian language and the Serbian Orthodox Church as well as closer ties with Serbia, such as citizenship in Serbia for Montenegro's Serbs by nationality. The Serb Radical Party is a client of the main Serbian Radical Party from Serbia, and proposes inner serbian autonomy in Montenegro, based on several factors: 1) National - places where Serbs are in majority; 2) Religious - places of strongest influence, value and importence of the Serb Orthodox Church; 3) Linguistic - places where the Serbian language is spoken majorily; 4) Political - places where most of the population is pro-Serbian orientated (those that opposed Montenegro's 2006 independence referendum) and 5) Historical - places of important historical serbian national value.
The conservative People's Party holds 2 seats in the Montenegrin Assembly. It bases itself upon the heritage of the Petrovich dynasty and Montenegro's natural and traditional Serbian heritage. It is in a coalition with the democratic Democratic Serbian Party that has 1 seat in the Assembly of Montenegro, as well as the Socialist People's Party, together holding 11 seats and forming the second-line opposition to the current Montenegrin government. Other political parties that maintain a pro-Serbian view are the Socialist People's Party (with 8 seats) and the Movement for Changes (with 11 seats).
Despite differences, all these parties, forming practicly the whole of the Montenegrin Assembly outside of Đukanović's juristiction (almost half of it) share one common thing - opposition to the current autocratic regime of Đukanović and absolute rule of his Party; democratization of Montenegro and survival of its jeoperdized Serbian element.
Whereas the common thing among the Serbs is that they do not view themselves as a people seperate of the Montenegrins by nationality, they have the same rights as the Montenegrins are not treated as a minority.
With the resignation of the Montenegrin nationalist authoritarian Premier Milo Djukanovic on 3 October 2006 a giant relief is felt within the populace and there is a large amount of optimism for the future.
[edit] Prominent individuals
- Stefan Nemanja
- Miloš Obilić
- Vasilije III Petrović-Njegoš
- Petar I Petrović Njegoš
- Petar II Petrović Njegoš (Radivoje Tomov Petrović, Rade)
- Marko Miljanov Popović
- Nikola I Petrović Njegoš
- Mirko Petrović Njegoš
- Aleksandar I Karađorđević
- Puniša Račić
- Mihailo Petrović Njegoš
- Radovan Karadžić
- Amfilohije Radović
- Milica Jovović
- Matija Bećković
- Batrić Jovanović
- Nikola Vukčević
- Miraš Dedeić[citation needed]
- Filip Vujanović
- Visarion Ljubiša
- Stjepan Mitrov Ljubiša
- Patriarch Varnava (Rosić)
[edit] See also
- Serbs
- Montenegro
- Montenegrins
- Bokelji
- Serb Montenegro
- Demographics of Montenegro
- Serb People's Party (Montenegro)
- Serbian List
- Serb National Guard of Kotor
