Montenegro Results 2 - WRAP Pro independence victory confirmed, plus reax
NAME: MTG RESULTS2 20060522I
TAPE: EF06/0440
IN_TIME: 11:13:29:02
DURATION: 00:02:46:19
SOURCES: AP Television/Montenegro TV
DATELINE: Podgorica, 21/22 May 2006
RESTRICTIONS: See Script
SHOTLIST:
AP Television
Podgorica - 21 May 2006
1. Various of Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Montenegro entering headquarters and walking towards stage through throng of supporters
2. Pull out from mid to wide of Djukanovic on stage
3. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister of the Republic of Montenegro:
"Tonight (Sunday night) - by the will of the Montenegro citizens the independent sovereign state of Montenegro has been reinstated."
4. Pull out from Djukanovic on stage to crowd
Montenegro TV - No Access Montenegro
Podgorica - 22 May 2006
5. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian with English translation) Frantisek Lipka, Chairman of the Electoral Commission:
"For independence of Montenegro, 55.4 per cent of citizens voted for independence of Montenegro. And for union state, 44.6 per cent of citizens voted."
AP Television
Podgorica - 22 May 2006
6. Medium of woman at newspaper stand
7. Close of headline
8. Close of headline
9. Medium of men reading newspapers
10. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Vox pop:
"After 60 years we will be independent again. It was high time, and God willing we will go to Cetinje to celebrate our independence."
11. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Vox pop:
"Our hearts are full. We are so glad to be separated from Serbia. We had so many problems because of Serbia. I wish all the best for Montenegro's future."
12. People crossing road
13. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Vox pop:
"We are happy, it so much better that we have won. It does not matter that it is less than one per cent. Brilliant. Super!"
14. Medium of street wall
STORYLINE:
More than 55 per cent of Montenegrins voted for independence on Sunday, achieving the majority set by the European Union for recognition of their referendum result, an official preliminary count showed.
Frantisek Lipka, the referendum commission president or Chairman of the Electoral Commission, told a news conference on Monday that 55.4 per cent of votes cast were in favour of ending the union with Serbia.
The turnout was 86.2 per cent, said Lipka.
"For independence of Montenegro, 55.4 per cent of citizens voted for independence of Montenegro. And for union state, 44.6 per cent of citizens voted," said Lipka.
Montenegrins continued celebrating on Monday.
"After 60 years we will be independent again. It was high time, and God willing we will go to Cetinje to celebrate our independence," said one.
Another said, "our hearts are full. We are so glad to be separated from Serbia. We had so many problems because of Serbia. I wish all the best for Montenegro's future."
The leader of Montenegro's pro-independence faction, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, spoke to a cheering crowd at his Podgorica headquarters on Sunday night, declaring victory at Montenegro's vote on secession from Serbia as thousands of supporters flooded the streets of the capital to celebrate.
"Tonight (Sunday night) - by the will of the Montenegro citizens the independent sovereign state of Montenegro has been reinstated," said Djukanovic.
Montenegrins had come out to Podgorica in record numbers on Sunday to vote on whether to stay in their troubled union with Serbia or become independent.
Within an hour of polls closing, an independent monitoring group said a preliminary vote count indicated that a majority of Montenegrins had chosen to split from the much larger republic of Serbia.