DISINFO: Montenegro independence referendum was illegal
SUMMARY
Part of that strategy was the expulsion of Serbs from Croatia and from one part of BiH, the seizure of Kosovo and Metohija, the separation of Montenegro by illegal referendum, and finally the assimilation of the remaining Serb population through political engineering.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Montenegro as “occupied” country and as “weapon” of NATO and USA. The “developments” mentioned in the article refer to the approval of the law on religious communities by the Montenegro parliament, “despite street protests and a last-minute attempt in the chamber by deputies of the pro-Serb opposition to prevent the vote going ahead” as stated by Reuters. This article is conspiracy theory with no evidence given for the claim that the “developments in Montenegro are part of a broader plan to narrow down the Serbian political and cultural being in the Balkans”. This claim involves the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the referendum in Montenegro was illegal. BBC stated in 2006 that “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.” As published on the UN website in 2006. “The Security Council issued a formal presidential statement recommending that the General Assembly admit the country, which held a referendum on 21 May to become independent from Serbia.”