Preliminary reports show Montenegrins have reached the 55% threshold required for seeking independence from the union of Serbia and Montenegro, moving one important step closer to becoming Europe's newest state. While many journalists around the world have dubbed this the final marker in the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the status of Kosovo, a region within Serbia administered by the UN, has yet to be decided. But for now, it appears that the union between Yugoslavia's last two republics, on relatively solid footing throughout the 1990's, has all but shattered. Critics of Montenegrin independence site the long historical and cultural ties between the two republics, and the damage secession will bring economically, socially and politically.

It has been some 90 years since Montenegro was its own country. Ruled by a string of dynasties and royal families over the centuries, Montenegro received international recognition at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. As World War I came to a close, the legislature of Montenegro voted to join the fledging state of Yugoslavia. Its political structure has been inextricably linked with Serbia ever since.

Many observers believe that what fueled this successful drive for independence is the desire for Montenegro to fully join the European and international community. Serbia's recent row with the EU and international observers over failing to capture fugitive General Ratko Mladic may have given a boost to the secession vote. The streets in the capital Podgorica were filled with waving red and gold of the former Montenegrin Monarchy (seen here), and with what appears to be a 86.3% voter turnout with all but 25,000 votes counted, it looks like the world will soon be welcoming the newest member to the international community.