Today, Montenegro celebrates its Statehood Day, commemorating two pivotal moments in the nation’s history. The first is July 13, 1878, when Montenegro gained international recognition as an independent state at the Congress of Berlin. The second is July 13, 1941, marking the date the Montenegrin people launched their uprising against fascism during World War II.
Montenegro re-established its independence on June 3, 2006, following a referendum on May 21 of the same year, where 55.5 percent of voters supported sovereignty. The nation subsequently became the 192nd member of the United Nations on June 28, 2006, and joined the Council of Europe on May 11, 2007. Last year, Montenegro was officially admitted into NATO.
