2006年VOA标准英语-Montenegro Votes for Independence

By Stefan Bos
Budapest
22 May 2006
 
Celebrations have broken out in the former Yugoslav republic of Montenegro, where official results show that a majority of voters said "yes" to independence in a controversial referendum. Pro-independence Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic has denied that breaking its union with Serbia will lead to new tensions in the often volatile¹ Balkans.

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Montenegro's referendum commission has confirmed that slightly more than the required 55 percent of voters supported independence for the tiny republic in Sunday's referendum.

In the capital Podgorica, a key-stronghold for the pro-independence-camp, young people in particular welcomed the birth of Europe's newest nation, with some shooting Kalashnikov rifles in the air, waving flags, and dancing.

MAN: "We were waiting for 15 years to have a country, an independent Montenegro. We are very happy. We love you all..."

WOMAN: "[This is] Excellent."

MAN: "I think that Montenegro made a real choice and good choice. Because maybe this will be the better way to the European Union and maybe this will be the best way for resolving our problems."

WOMAN: "This is great. This is a historical moment. We have now our country."

The move follows a decade-long government campaign to restore the independence Montenegro last enjoyed in 1918, and seals the break up of what remains² of Yugoslavia.

Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia broke away from Serb-dominated Yugoslavia in the 1990's. At least a quarter of a million people died in the violent break up.

The federation³ of Serbia and Montenegro was created three years ago under European Union supervision⁴ in an effort to avoid more bloodshed.

There are concerns that Montenegro's independence will lead to new tensions in the Balkans and encourage the province of Kosovo to secede⁵ or cause Serbs in Bosnia Herzegovina to seek re-unification with Serbia. But speaking through an interpreter Montenegro Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic calls these fears groundless.

"Those who say that Montenegro's independence will influence the way the Kosovo issue is resolved are biased⁶ and are dealing⁷ in cheap politics," he says. "I would add those are the theories of Greater Serbia nationalists. Montenegro must not be a bargaining chip for the appalling⁸ policy led in Kosovo for years."

He adds that Montenegro does not want to create new borders with Serbia, and that tourists coming from neighboring areas are already able to enter Montenegro without passports. Montenegro already uses the Euro currency.

Mr. Djukanovic believes independence will make it easier for his government to speed up reforms and enable Montenegro to join Western organizations such as the European Union.

Yet the pro-Serb opposition⁹, including Orthodox priests, fear the independence move will lead to new divisions in society along ethnic¹⁰ lines. Critics also claim the tiny republic of just more than 600,000 people is too small to be a viable¹¹ independent state.

European Union observers have urged all parties to accept the results of the referendum and hope the transition towards independence remains peaceful.

1 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

2 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

3 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

4 supervision   

n.监督，管理

参考例句：

• The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
• The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。

5 secede   

v.退出，脱离

参考例句：

• They plotted to make the whole Mississippi Valley secede from the United States.他们阴谋策划使整个密西西比流域脱离美国。
• We won't allow Tibet to secede from China and become an independent nation.我们决不允许西藏脱离中国独立。

6 biased   

a.有偏见的

参考例句：

• a school biased towards music and art 一所偏重音乐和艺术的学校
• The Methods: They employed were heavily biased in the gentry's favour. 他们采用的方法严重偏袒中上阶级。

7 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

8 appalling   

adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions.恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• Nothing can extenuate such appalling behaviour.这种骇人听闻的行径罪无可恕。

9 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

10 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

11 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。