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Putin's attempts to intervene in Montenegro fail...
Montenegro has said "No" to Moscow. Russia is clearly doing everything it can to interfere in the region and especially in countries like Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia or Russia. But today there was an interesting development from Podgorica.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro has summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Podgorica, Aleksandar Lukašik, to an urgent meeting today, delivering a clear note of protest over his recent statements, which the Montenegrin authorities consider "unacceptable, unnecessary and a direct interference in the internal affairs of the state."
According to the MFA, the Russian ambassador has gone beyond any framework of diplomatic behavior by openly criticizing:
-the decision of the Parliament of Montenegro to join the NATO Assistance and Training Mechanism for Ukraine (NSATU),
-as well as the interview of Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović for the French newspaper La Croix, where he emphasized that EU enlargement is the strongest tool to limit the influences of third actors, including Russia.
" These assessments are pure interference and Montenegro will not allow anyone to violate the integrity of the country's institutions and foreign policy ," the MFA stressed in its reaction.
Montenegrin authorities have made it clear to Ambassador Lukašik that any similar statement in the future will be treated as a deliberate hostile act, with immediate diplomatic consequences, underlining that Podgorica orients its foreign policy on national interests, NATO membership and the course towards the European Union - not according to directives from Moscow or any other actor.
" Montenegro expects the Embassy of the Russian Federation to fully respect its institutions and officials, and that in carrying out its foreign policy, Montenegro does not act on the instructions of any party, but consistently pursues its own national and strategic interests, determined by foreign policy priorities - NATO membership and commitment to the EU accession process ," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
The Russian ambassador's statements have caused considerable irritation on the western side of Montenegrin politics. On November 13, Lukashik accused the Montenegrin Parliament of "anti-Russian activity" after it voted to join NATO's mission in Ukraine. Earlier, on November 1, he criticized Podgorica for "unnecessarily accelerating the path to the EU by weakening ties with Russia."
Podgorica is sending the strongest signal to Moscow since 2014: Montenegro remains anchored in Euro-Atlantic structures and does not tolerate pressure, even through the diplomatic jargon of Russian ambassadors in the region. /Pamphlet
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