In March 2006, the Montenegrin government announced that an independence referendum would be held on 21 May 2006 to determine whether the republic would remain a partner within the state union of Serbia and Montenegro or become an independent state.

At a reception, given on this occasion on Friday evening, Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic said that in the past five years the country had shown that it can successfully respond to all challenges and that it was on a path to Europe,