Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Montenegro Today
When Montenegro chose to part ways from Serbia in 2006, it was a brave move - es-
pecially given its tiny population. But toughing it out is something these gutsy people
have had plenty of experience with. Montenegro's national identity was built around
resisting the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years in a mountainous enclave much
smaller than the nation's current borders. Determined to hold on to its regained in-
dependence, Montenegro has set a course towards the European Union.
The Never-Changing Goverment
In the 2012 general election, the Democratic
Party of Socialists (DPS) fell two seats short
of ruling in their own right but quickly formed
a coalition with ethnic Bosniak (South-Slav
Muslim), Albanian and Croat parties to form a
government (ethnicity still plays a large role in
political affiliation here). What's extraordinary
about this is that the DPS has won every single
vote since multiparty elections were estab-
lished in 1990, marking the end of commun-
ism in Yugoslavia.
It's even more extraordinary if you consider
that the DPS was born out of Montenegro's
Communist Party - so you could argue that it's
been in power continuously since 1945 in one
form or other. However, today's DPS is a long
way from communist, having embarked on an
enthusiastic and often controversial campaign
of privatisations since the demise of
Yugoslavia.
One factor in the DPS's success is the cha-
rismatic figure of returning Prime Minister
Milo Đukanović. As a tall (198cm), handsome 26-year-old he was part of the 'anti-bureau-
cratic revolution' that took control of the Community Party in 1989. At the age of 29 he
Best on Film
Casino Royale
(2006) James Bond plays poker
in a casino in Montenegro; suspend your disbe-
lief, as the Montenegro scenes were actually
filmed in Italy and the Czech Republic.
The Battle of Neretva
(1969) Featuring a stel-
lar cast including Yul Brynner and Orson
Welles, this movie garnered an Academy Award
nomination. It's set and filmed across the border
in Bosnia, but director Veljko Bulajić was born
in (what is now) Montenegro.
Best in Print
The Son
(Andrej Nikolaidis; 2011) Set in Ul-
cinj over the course of a single night, this novel
won a European Union Prize for Literature.
Realm of the Black Mountain
(Elizabeth
Roberts; 2007) An interesting and detailed dis-
section of Montenegro's convoluted history.
Montenegro: A Novel
(Starling Lawrence;
1997) An entertaining tale of politics, blood-
shed and romance set at the dawn of the 20th
century.
Black Lamb and Grey Falcon
(Rebecca West;
1941) One of the classics of travel literature.
