Referendum in Montenergo: New State to Appear in EuropeMay 22, 2006 - 20:26 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The head of the country's electoral commission said 55.4% of voters had voted to secede from Serbia, just above the 55% required for victory. The result is set to erase the last vestige of the former Yugoslavia. The question of independence has deeply divided Montenegro, with its opponents arguing it will damage economic, family and political ties with Serbia. "Tonight, with the majority decision by the citizens of Montenegro, the independence of the country has been renewed," said Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana commended the conduct of the poll and said he would respect the result. Electoral Commission Chairman Frantisek Lipka said 25,000 votes, about 5% of the total, were still to be counted, but he said they were not expected to affect the outcome. Final results will be announced at 19:00 local time (17:00 GMT). One European Parliament election observer, Robert Evans, said everything in the vote had satisfied their requirements, reported BBC. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |