The Directorate for Statistics of Montenegro, Monstat published part of the final results of the population census in Montenegro conducted in December last year.

According to him, 41.1 percent of citizens declare themselves as Montenegrins, 32.9 percent as Serbs, 9.45 percent are Bosniaks, 4.97 percent are Albanians, 1 percent are Roma and 0.97 percent are Croats.

According to Monstat data, no ethnic group in Montenegro has an absolute majority. Compared to the 2011 census, there is a small increase in the total number of Serbs.

When asked what their mother tongue is, 36.2 percent of Montenegrin residents answered that it is the Montenegrin language, while 43.5 percent answered that their mother tongue is Serbian.

Pro-Serbian and pro-Russian forces as well as numerous media outlets in Montenegro and Belgrade have been campaigning for months, calling on citizens to declare themselves as Serbs.

The campaign was joined by the Serbian Orthodox Church, which called on citizens to identify themselves as members of the Serbian people and believers of their church who speak the Serbian language.

The Montenegrin opposition said that the results of the census confirm that despite powerful propaganda, pressures to impose an ethnic concept, Montenegro managed to preserve its civic character.

According to religion, citizens of Montenegro are divided into Orthodox – 71.1%, Muslims – 20% and Catholics – 3.2%.

The regular population census in Montenegro was supposed to take place in 2021, but was initially postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

After that, it was postponed several times, due to the disbelief of the opposition in that process.