Referendum processes and models: from Montenegro to Scotland

• By  Olivia Carballar ,  www.lamarea.com
• View all deals
• September 17th, 2017
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The processes that have led different countries to become independent, or to fail in the attempt, are very diverse and  few are extrapolable to the case of Catalonia . They have been traumatic and velvet; agreed and unilateral.

When the latter have been successful, the recognition of the new States has been involved in discussions on international legality that have been resolved in the interests of third countries.

The  Venice Commission established in 2009 guidelines to provide legality and legitimacy to such processes in Europe. The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, communicated by letter to the Commission the intention to hold a referendum agreed with the Spanish Government.

The body replied in June that both the referendum and cooperation with the same commission to carry out the referendum should be done "in agreement with the Spanish authorities."

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REFERENDUM FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF SCOTLAND

September 18, 2014.

Agreement between Scotland and United Kingdom. Approved by the Parliament of Scotland. The question was:

Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes or no

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REFERENDUM ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF MONTENEGRO

21 May 2006

Agreement between Montenegro and Serbia. Accepted by the European Union with the requirement that the participation exceeds 50% and it does earn by at least 55%. The question was:

Do you want Montenegro to be an independent State with complete legal and international legitimacy? Yes or no

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REFERENDUM ON THE INDEPENDENCE OF CROATIA

19 May 1991.

Unilateral with respect to Yugoslavia. You could choose between two options:

1. Sovereign and independent  
State 2. Federal State of Yugoslavia

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QUEBEC REFERENDUM

30 October 1995.

Agreement between Canada and Quebec. The question was:

Do you agree that the region of Quebec should be sovereign after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political association, within the terms of the law, respecting the future of Quebec and the agreement signed on 12 June 1995 Yes or no

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DISSOLUTION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA (The divorce of velvet)

1 January 1993.

There was an agreement between the Czech and Slovak republics to dissolve Czechoslovakia and create two new states. 

The respective parliaments approved independence and negotiated the resulting processes.

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KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM

September 22, 1991.

Following the unilateral declaration of the Kosovo Provincial Assembly and Metohija, there was an acceptance referendum. The conditions for approval were that at least 66.7% of the population should participate and at least half of the votes should be in favor of independence.

On 17 February 2008, the Kosovar Parliament declared independence unilaterally. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a state (nor does Spain).

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REFERENDUM OF ICELAND 1944

May 24.

Iceland's unilateral decision on Denmark during the Nazi occupation.

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REFERENDUM ON DONETSCK AND LUGANSK POLITICAL STATUS

May 11, 2014.

Unilateral referendum unrecognized by Ukraine, the US and the European Union.

Do you support the act of state independence of the Republic of Donetsk [Lugansk]?  Yes or no