"The Newest Old State in Europe. Montenegro Regaining Independence." ZEI Discussion Paper No. 174, 2007

[From the introduction]. There is no small nation without a great history. Montenegrin people are a perfect example to confirm this rule. However, this paper is not about the thousand-year history of Montenegro, the fierce struggles this small but fearless nation had during its fights for freedom and independence. It is about the most important features of the political situation in Montenegro after the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and of the different unions with Serbia. This paper deals with the origins of the independence movement in Montenegro in the last decade, tries to explain the arguments in favour and against independence, as well as the possible implications of the process, looked upon from different perspectives inside and outside of Montenegro. Furthermore, it deals with the European Union’s involvement in the issue, the reasons behind the specific EU policy towards Montenegro and its effects