After they heard and accepted a report by the chairman of the Montenegrin Referendum Commission, Frantisek Lipka of Slovakia, MPs adopted the Decision on the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Independent Montenegro.
Along with the highest Montenegrin officials, President Filip Vujanovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, and now former Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, the session was attended by a representative of the European Union, Jelko Kacin.
Deputies from the bloc supporting the state union with Serbia were not present.
By restoring its independence, Montenegro has taken over all affairs previously entrusted to the institutions of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro upon the adoption of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro, Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapic said.
"Montenegro will define methods of taking over affairs which until now were conducted by the institutions of the State Union and, through acts of the Assembly and Government of Montenegro, establish and announce the principles in line with which it will pursue its home and foreign policies," reads the Decision on the Declaration of Independence.
Montenegro will implement and take over international treaties and agreements concluded by the State Union which refer to Montenegro and are in line with its legal order, it is noted in the Declaration.
As an independent state with full international legal personality, Montenegro will continue developing as a civil state and multinational, multiethnic, multicultural and multiconfessional society, based on respect and protection of human rights and freedoms, minority rights, principles of parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, and the market economy.
Montenegro is particularly interested and ready to regulate mutual rights and obligations and to develop good neighbourly relations with Serbia, reads the Declaration.
Montenegro will establish and develop bilateral relations with other countries in line with the principles of international law, accepting rights and obligations from earlier agreements, and continue with the active policy of good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation, the Declaration reads.
Serbian President Boris Tadic did not attend the session due to other commitments, but he sent a message to Montenegrin citizens, wishing them peace and prosperity.
Tadic also said that the "enviable level of responsibility of political subjects and the overwhelming participation of citizens in the democratic process" reinforced his position that Montenegro would become a "prosperous society and find its way to Europe, through partnership with the countries in the region, primarily Serbia."
"On that road, you will, as always, have your closest friend in Serbia. I call for maintaining our family, historical, cultural, economic and political ties because they are an unbreakable link between our respective countries," Tadic said in the message.