Opponents to Montenegro’s push for nationhood said they would lodge a formal protest on Wednesday against its historic vote for independence, alleging irregularities.
”We must eliminate any doubt about the referendum,” said Predrag Bulatovic, the leader of a group of parties in favour of continuing the republic’s union with Serbia.
The complaints will be lodged with local-level referendum commissions at 9pm local time, said Bulatovic, leader of the traditionally pro-Serbia Socialist People’s Party.
Bulatovic said his observers found six people listed twice on the electoral rolls, people who had previously voted in Serbia and Bosnia, and voters who should be disqualified for living outside Montenegro.
A narrow majority of 55,5% of Montenegrins voted on Sunday to break with Serbia, edging over an EU-agreed threshold of 55% for the referendum to be considered valid, according to results announced by electoral authorities on Tuesday.
Turnout was 86,5% of the 485 000 eligible voters in the state wedged between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea with a population of just 650 000 people.
The outcome will not be deemed to be final until Saturday after expiry of the period during which ballots can be challenged.
The conduct of the plebiscite had been praised by the international community, including the European Union, the United States, Russia and China.
On Monday, the pro-union bloc had demanded a recount of ballots, disputing about 19 000 votes in the capital Podgorica.
At the time, a Western diplomat who requested anonymity said there was ”no legal ground” for the pro-union demands.
”My best guess is that they have to be seen trying” to contest the results, the diplomat said.
Serbian President Boris Tadic on Tuesday accepted the outcome, but moderate nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica — who openly opposed independence — insisted that all hurdles be cleared for its full approval.
Unless it is overruled, the latest complaint could cause delays to efforts by Serbia and Montenegro to begin dismantling their union and setting up their relations as independent nations. — AFP
