VZCZCXRO0022
RR RUEHBW RUEHPOD
DE RUEHPOD #0127/01 1021429
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111429Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PODGORICA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0750
INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0339
RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0142
RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0831

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PODGORICA 000127 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MW
SUBJECT: STRIKINGLY POSITIVE ELECTION DAY ATMOSHPERE IN SERB-MAJORITY 
MUNICIPALITY 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Herceg Novi municipality has a significant 
Serb majority, an opposition mayor, and voted overwhelmingly 
against independence in the 2006 referendum. However, less than 
two years later, the atmosphere there on election day was 
positive and forward looking. The elections indicated what 
appears to be gradual shift in attitude, with citizens rejecting 
political extremism and seemingly accepting that their future 
lies not with Serbia, but in independent Montenegro. Serb List 
presidential candidate Andrija Mandic made a strong showing in 
the municipality with 30 percent of the vote, but incumbent 
President Filip Vujanovic won with 34 percent. In the municipal 
election contest, incumbent Socialist People's Party (SNP) 
managed to retain control of the assembly, but the Democratic 
Party of Socialists (DPS) made a solid showing as well. End 
summary. 
 
 
 
Looking to Podgorica, Not Belgrade 
 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Mention Herceg Novi in Podgorica and one usually hears 
warnings that the municipality is a "hotbed of Serb nationalism" 
and "full of people who still look to Belgrade for political 
leadership." Poloff spent three days in the municipality 
monitoring local and presidential elections for the OSCE/ODIHR 
mission, and found that in contrast to its reputation, Herceg 
Novi is full of optimism about its future in an independent 
Montenegro -- particularly in terms of economic prospects. 
Although many residents still identify themselves as Serbs, they 
are quick to note that they are "Montenegrin Serbs" who are 
fully participating in the political life of their country -- 
Montenegro. 
 
 
 
Overwhelmingly Positive Atmosphere for Election Day 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The people of Herceg Novi were welcoming to Poloff and 
the rest of the American OSCE monitoring team, and the 
atmosphere on election day was notably positive. Lines began 
forming at polling stations across Herceg Novi well before the 
polls opened at 8am, and election board members were serious 
about their jobs and voters were respectful of election rules 
and procedures. Also, in striking contrast to most other towns 
and municipalities across Montenegro, not a single presidential 
candidate's billboard -- neither an opposition candidate nor 
incumbent Vujanovic -- was defaced in Herceg Novi. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) By the lunch lull around 1pm, it was already clear that 
voter turnout was high. A local Democratic Party of Socialists 
(DPS) party official taking a break told us his party was 
confident of their presidential candidate's win, but was also 
positive about the party's potential to take the local assembly 
in Herceg Novi. In the end, the DPS had their victory 
nation-wide -- by midnight it was already clear that Vujanovic 
had won in the first round -- but not in the municipality. The 
Socialist People's Party (SNP) retained their majority in the 
local assembly, securing 12 seats. The DPS message, however, 
appears to be resonating with local voters, as the party 
garnered 11 seats. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Though election boards worked well into the night, the 
day ended as encouragingly as it began, with our OSCE colleagues 
agreeing that by and large the elections had been free and fair. 
 There was celebratory honking and flag waving throughout the 
town by supporters of three separate parties: the SNP -- whose 
adherents notably were flying the SNP party flag but not the 
Serbian flag, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) -- who gained 
one seat in the local assembly -- and the DPS.  As our polling 
station finished tabulating votes, local party representatives 
from the Serb List, Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro 
(DSS), Movement for Change (PzP), and SDP all headed home 
together, sharing a car ride and laughs about their long evening 
of ballot counting. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
-------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The cross-party cooperation and the convivial attitude 
 
PODGORICA 00000127  002 OF 002 
 
 
in Herceg Novi during election weekend may not exist all the 
time, but it was heartening nonetheless. It appears to 
demonstrate a softening of attitudes among a formerly staunch 
pro-Union populace, and indicates that despite how people voted 
two years ago, the vast majority of Montenegrins have accepted 
that their political future is linked to Podgorica, not Belgrade. 
MOORE