Macedonia, Montenegro Recognise Kosovo Independence

"The decision to recognize Kosovo by Montenegro, as a potential EU candidate country and Macedonia, as EU candidate country is a result of a careful political assessment," the two countries said in a joint statement late on Thursday.

Both Macedonia and Montenegro have close economic and political ties with Serbia and with Kosovo. The two states have large ethnic Serbian and ethnic Albanian minorities, which are represented in their parliaments.

Kosovo, where 90% of the population is ethnic Albanian, declared its secession from Serbia on February 17, after almost nine years under the administration of the U.N. Serbia, backed by its historical ally Russia, says it would never recognise Kosovo as an independent state.

“Montenegro and Macedonia, guided by core principles of their foreign policy for building good-neighborly relations with all their neighbors remain committed to further development and deepening of relations with the Republic of Serbia in all areas of common interest, as well as to maintaining traditional close ties among the three countries and their peoples,” the statement said. “At the same time, the two countries will continue to render support the Republic of Serbia on its way to European integration.”

Serbia signed in May a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, a first formal step towards membership.

Montenegro's prospects of joining the EU were boosted in October 2007 when the country signed an SAA with the bloc. The Adriatic republic decided in a 2006 referendum to restore its independence and broke its loose union with Serbia that replaced rump Yugoslavia in 2001.

Macedonia was granted an EU candidate status in December 2005, but is still waiting for a date to start membership negotiations.

A total of 50 countries have recognised Kosovo’s independence. Apart from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only other former Yugoslav state that has not recognised Kosovo's independence. Meanwhile, Serbia is seeking an International Court of Justice opinion on the legality of the independence declaration made in February.