STRIKINGLY POSITIVE ELECTION DAY ATMOSHPERE IN SERB-MAJORITY

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

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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

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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

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6. (SBU) The cross-party cooperation and the convivial attitude

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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