VOTING ENDED SUNDAY EVENING IN THE MONTENEGRIN REFERENDUM ON INDEPENDENCE FOLLOWING A RECORD TURNOUT AND THE FEVERISH WAIT FOR THE RESULT STARTED, ACCORDING TO DPA. AROUND 86.7 PER CENT OF THE 485,000 VOTERS HAVE CAST THEIR BALLOTS WITH 30 MINUTES STILL TO GO UNTIL THE 9 P.M. CLOSE OF THE POLLING STATIONS. PRIME MINISTER MILO DJUKANOVIC'S PRO-INDEPENDENCE OPTION NEEDS MORE THAN 55 PER CENT OF THE VOTES CAST IN ORDER TO PUSH THROUGH THE DIVORCE FROM THE MUCH LARGER SERBIA. THE MAJORITY PROVISION WAS AGREED BETWEEN DJUKANOVIC'S "SOVEREIGNISTS" AND THE "UNIONIST" OPPOSITION ON REQUEST BY THE EUROPEAN UNION. IF LESS THAN 55 PER CENT OF THE VOTERS BACK INDEPENDENCE, MONTENEGRO WILL REMAIN IN THE UNION WITH SERBIA, AS WANTED BY THE OPPOSITION BLOC IN THE TINY REPUBLIC. THE VOTING WENT AHEAD WITHOUT MAJOR INCIDENTS, DESPITE THE DEEP RIFT THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE HAS CREATED ACROSS THE MONTENEGRIN SOCIETY.
