Montenegro is set to declare independence this evening with parliament's formal adoption of the decision its people made in a referendum on May 21 to end ties with Serbia.
The mountainous Adriatic coast republic of some 650,000 people, about the size of Northern Ireland, is the last of ex-Yugoslavia's six constituent republics to leave the orbit of Belgrade.
In the case of Montenegro, Serbia's closest ally, the split ends a partnership with Serbia dating back to 1918.
Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica responded frostily to the Montenegrin vote for independence and rebuffed European Union offers to assist the two countries in a "velvet divorce", indicating the parting will be correct but not amicable.
His Montenegrin counterpart Milo Djukanovic, the champion of the independence drive, invited Kostunica to Montenegro for a reception following parliament's declaration. But there was no indication today that the Serb leader would attend.
Tonight's declaration is expected to be a low-profile event, but Montenegrins in the capital Podgorica would likely celebrate as they did two weeks ago, with car cavalcades, some fireworks and Balkan-style celebratory gunfire.
Montenegro plans to have its main independence day celebrations on July 13, currently its "statehood day", with foreign dignitaries in attendance.