Montenegro census could see return of Serbian language to schools and official use

euronews (in English)

The authorities in Montenegro say that more than 50 per cent of citizens will claim to speak Serbian, which could return the Serbian language to schools and official use in the country.

Transcript

00:00 Montenegro is preparing for a controversial census on December 3rd that could raise tensions

00:06 and risk further sharpening ethnic divides.

00:09 The tiny nation of just over 600,000 people has a large ethnic Serbian community, making

00:14 up 28 percent of the population.

00:17 But some fear that pro-Russian forces could try to inflate the number of people identifying

00:21 as Serbian.

00:22 "The president of the Republic of Serbia said on one television broadcast that the census

00:31 in Montenegro is one of the key issues of vital interest for him or the Republic of Serbia.

00:40 Imagine that statement.

00:42 Imagine that before the census in the Republic of Serbia, the president of Montenegro or the

00:50 president of Croatia."

00:52 The census was initially supposed to take place on November 1st, but it was postponed

00:57 because of technical problems and a possible boycott by opposition parties.

01:01 "Billboards are set up along the roads in Montenegro that highlight Serbian identity.

01:07 The authorities in Montenegro believe that more than 50 percent of the population will

01:11 find out that they speak Serbian, so that the Serbian language can be returned to schools

01:16 and to the official use of this country."

01:20 The divide between ethnic Serbs and the rest of the population is somewhat blurry, as some

01:24 Montenegrin nationalists are native Serbian speakers.

01:27 "The forces that came to power on August 30th, they are counting on more Serbs and those

01:36 who identify as Serbs, less Montenegrins, so that they can come to change and to redefine

01:46 certain issues from the constitution."

01:49 Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006.

01:52 In 2023, a new coalition of pro-European and pro-Serb parties took power, aiming to lead

01:58 the Balkan nation to EU membership.

01:59 (whooshing)

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