Montenegro vs. Albania
Government
| Montenegro | Albania | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro etymology: the country's name locally as well as in most Western European languages means "black mountain" and refers to the dark coniferous forests on Mount Lovcen and the surrounding area | conventional long form: Republic of Albania conventional short form: Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania etymology: the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles" |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Podgorica; note - Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital" geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name translates as "beneath Gorica"; the meaning of Gorica is "hillock"; the reference is to the small hill named Gorica that the city is built around | name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan Fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city |
| Administrative divisions | 24 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Gusinje, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnijica, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Zabljak | 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore |
| Independence | 3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 13 March 1852 (Principality of Montenegro established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Montenegrin independence); 28 August 1910 (Kingdom of Montenegro established) | 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) |
| National holiday | Statehood Day, 13 July (1878, the day the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world, and 1941, the day the Montenegrins staged an uprising against fascist occupiers and sided with the partisan communist movement) | Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007 amendments: proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles, such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures, require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum; amended 2013 | history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020 |
| Legal system | civil law | civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 20 May 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC (since 4 December 2020) cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly election results: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Milo DJUKANOVIC (DPS) 53.9%, Mladen BOJANIC (independent) 33.4%, Draginja VUKSANOVIC (SDP) 8.2%, Marko MILACIC (PRAVA) 2.8%, other 1.7% | chief of state: President of the Republic Ilir META (since 24 July 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Senida MESI (since 13 September 2017) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 19, 20, 27, and 28 April 2017 (next election to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly election results: Ilir META elected president; Assembly vote - 87 - 2 in fourth round |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Assembly or Skupstina (81 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 30 August 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - DPS 35.1%, ZBCG 32.6%, MNIM 12.5%, URA 5.5%, SD 4.1%, BS 3.9%, SDP 3.1%, AL 1.6%, AK 1.1%, other 0.4%; seats by party/coalition - DPS 30, ZBCG 27, MNIM 10, URA 4, BS 3, SD 3, SDP 2, AL 1, AK 1.; composition - men 57, women 24, percent of women 29.6% | description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3; composition -men 93, women 47, percent of women 33.6%% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 15 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president proposed by general session of the Supreme Court and elected by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body consisting of judges, lawyers designated by the Assembly, and the minister of judicial affairs; Supreme Court president elected for a single renewable, 5-year term; other judges elected by the Judicial Council for life; Constitutional Court judges - 2 proposed by the president of Montenegro and 5 by the Assembly, and elected by the Assembly; court president elected from among the court members; court president elected for a 3-year term, other judges serve 9-year terms subordinate courts: Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials) |
| Political parties and leaders | Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DJELOSAJ] Albanian Coalition (includes DP, DSCG, DUA) Albanian Coalition Perspective or AKP Albanian List (coalition includes AA, Forca, AKP, DSA) Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC] Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC] Croatian Reform Party [Marija VUCINOVIC] Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC] Democratic Front or DF [collective leadership] (coalition includes NOVA, PZP, DNP, RP) Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI] Democratic League of Albanians or DSA Democratic Montenegro or DCG [Alexsa BECIC] Democratic Party or DP [Fatmir GJEKA] Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] Democratic Party of Unity or DSJ [Nebojsa JUSKOVIC] Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC] Democratic Serb Party or DSS [Dragica PEROVIC] Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Mehmet ZENKA] For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC] (electoral coalition includes SNP and 2 alliances - DF, NP) Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC] Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC] New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU] New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC] Party of Pensioners, Disabled, and Restitution or PUPI [Momir JOKSIMOVIC] Peace is Our Nation or MNIM [Alexa BECIC] (coalition includes Democrats, DEMOS, New Left, PUPI) Popular Movement or NP [Miodrag DAVIDOVIC] (coalition includes DEMOS, RP, UCG, and several minor parties) Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC] Social Democrats or SD [Ivan BRAJOVIC] Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC] True Montenegro or PRAVA [Marko MILACIC] United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS) United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC] Workers' Party or RP [Janko VUCINIC] | Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD) Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA] Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (part of the Alliance for Change; formerly part of APMI) Social Democratic Party or PSD [Tom DOSHI] Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI] Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA] |
| International organization participation | CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marija STJEPCEVIC (since 4 February 2021) chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.me consulate(s) general: New York | chief of mission: Ambassador Floreta LULI-FABER (since 18 May 2015) chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 email address and website: embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018) embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica mailing address: 5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC 20521-5570 telephone: +382 (0)20-410-500 FAX: [382] (0)20-241-358 email address and website: PodgoricaACS@state.gov https://me.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Yuri KIM (since 27 January 2020) embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana mailing address: 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] 4 2247-285 FAX: [355] 4 2232-222 email address and website: ACSTirana@state.gov https://al.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered; the arms consist of a double-headed golden eagle - symbolizing the unity of church and state - surmounted by a crown; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the breast shield over the eagle shows a golden lion passant on a green field in front of a blue sky; the lion is a symbol of episcopal authority and harkens back to the three and a half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy | red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle" |
| National anthem | name: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May) lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC note: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song | name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag) lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU note: adopted 1912 |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold | black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
