Montenegro and Serbia expel each other's ambassadors
November 29, 2020
Serbia's ambassador to Montenegro, Vladimir Bozovic, has been declared "persona non grata" by the Montenegro government. Serbia mirrored the move, but the row between one-time close allies might turn out short-lived.
Image: Andrej Isakovic/AFP/Getty Images
Advertisement
As Montenegro prepares to name a new government, the incumbent cabinet close to veteran strongman Milo Djukanovic accused Serbian Ambassador Vladimir Bozovic of "meddling into the internal affairs of Montenegro" and ordered him to leave the small Adriatic country.
The expulsion comes in response to Bozovic's "behavior and statements incompatible with the usual and acceptable standards of diplomacy," said Montenegro's Foreign Ministry on Saturday.
Specifically, the ministry pointed to Bozovic's recent praise of the 1918 Podgorica assembly which decided to join Montenegro with Serbia and accept Serbian King Petar I as its sovereign.
The history of Montenegro's statehood is a particularly painful issue in the smaller nation, as Montenegro only regained full independence after a 2006 referendum. Nearly 30% of Montenegrin citizens consider themselves ethnic Serbs.
In their statement, Montenegro's Foreign Ministry slammed the 1918 assembly as "illegal and illegitimate."
Hours later, Serbia retaliated by expelling Montenegro's envoy in Belgrade, Tarzan Milosevic.
From best friends to mistrustful neighbors
Belgrade and Podgorica were close allies during the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, which saw Serbia and Montenegro form a new, smaller Yugoslavian federation following the outbreak of ethnic conflicts in Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Two men face trial over Yugoslav murder squads
02:41
This browser does not support the video element.
However, the two states soon started drifting apart under Milo Djukanovic, who has served six terms as prime minister of Montenegro and currently occupies the presidency. Djukanovic maintained and expanded his power base following the 2006 plebiscite which resulted in independence from Serbia. In recent years, he cemented his break with Serbia and Russia by taking his country into NATO in 2017.
His opponents accuse the veteran leader of corruption, nepotism, media censorship and ties to organized crime.
Advertisement
Hope of a fresh start
The pro-Djukanovic camp suffered a loss in the August elections, with the pro-Serbian Democratic Front (DF) spearheading the push to oust the president. Following prolonged and complicated talks to form the next government, prime minister-designate Zdravko Krivokapic is expected to be confirmed at an assembly session next week.
While Krivokapic has sought to distance himself from DF since the election, his government is expected to work towards reducing tensions with Serbia and ending the diplomatic row.
dj/rs (Reuters, AFP, dpa, Beta)
Ten reasons to visit Montenegro
The small Balkan country has it all: high mountains, deep gorges, clear lakes and Adriatic beaches. There are also beautiful old towns, tasty wine and really good food.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
Enormous variety in a small space
With an area of around 14,000 km² (5405 mi²), Montenegro in southeastern Europe is only as big as the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It offers an enormous variety of landscapes in a small area. That is another reason why the number of tourists is rising rapidly. So now is the best time to discover Montenegro before everyone else does.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
The bay of Kotor
Most tourists flock to the Adriatic Sea in the south of the country. The main attraction here is the Bay of Kotor. It carves about 30 kilometers (19 mi) into the country and once offered its inhabitants shelter from pirates and other invaders. Today it is under UNESCO protection and is frequented by cruise ships. The steep mountains extend down to the shore - an impressive backdrop.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
Churches and monasteries
From the Baroque bay town of Perast ferries leave for the manmade islet with the Church of Our Lady of the Rocks. The islet was built up by regularly casting stones into the sea around a small rock. The catholic seafarer's church is splendidly decorated inside and to this day many a cruise captain will make a donation here - so that winds may always be favorable.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
The seaside resort of Budva
The town of Budva is known as the "Ibiza of the Balkans". There is an extensive party zone behind the old town along the beach. But Budva, one of the oldest towns on the Adriatic, also has quieter sides - like here in front of the city wall. The Old Town becomes a stage in summer: the annual theater festival takes place in its streets and squares, and performances are multilingual.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
The luxury island Sveti Stefan
Those who can afford it check into the 5-star hotel island Sveti Stefan, predominantly celebrities and politicians: Sylvester Stallone, Claudia Schiffer and Willy Brandt have all stayed here. The entire island has been a hotel complex since the 1950s, now operated by the luxury hotel brand Aman Resorts. If you don't have the necessary cash you can admire it from afar which is also beautiful.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
The Durmitor Mountains in the north
Montenegro is small - so convenient for exploring. From the Adriatic Sea in the south it is only a three hour drive to the north. Here you will find the wild alpine landscape of the Durmitor Mountains: with thick spruce forests, fragrant mountain meadows, barren plateaus and rocky peaks over 2000 meters high. The Durmitor massif is located in a national park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
The Tara Gorge
The river Tara flows through Durmitor National Park. It winds its way through a deep gorge, which is considered to be the deepest in Europe, with a maximum of 1300 meters. Worldwide, only the Grand Canyon in the USA is said to be deeper. The gorge is a popular photo motif. Rafting tours are on offer on the Tara River, and several ziplines are stretched across the gorge.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
National park Biogradska Gora
No matter where you are in Montenegro the next national park is never far away. There are five in all. Biogradska Gora National Park in the east is home to one of the last virgin forests in Europe. The glacial lake Biogradsko Jezero is in the heart of the forest. On its shore the trees are hundreds of years old. Thrill seekers can take a footbridge through wild wetlands.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
Lake Skadar
Lake Skadar looks like a primeval landscape from the age of the dinosaurs. It is the largest lake in the Balkans and lies south of the Montenegrin capital Podgorica. Wide stretches are marshy and inaccessible - a paradise for birds, more than 270 species of which live here. Tourists enjoy exploring old fishing villages, hiking, cycling and kayaking.
Image: picture-alliance/prisma(E. Stefano
Good wine
The largest wine-growing region in Montenegro is also near to Lake Skadar. The climate here is both continental and Mediterranean and therefore ideal for viticulture. With summer temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius (104° F), a cool white wine is the perfect beverage. Montenegro's wines are world famous, but most of them are consumed in the country itself.
Image: DW/C. Deicke
Delicious food
Montenegro's cuisine is as rich and varied as the country's landscape and cultural influences. Sheep and goat cheese from the mountains, fish from the sea and lakes are eaten everywhere in the country. Hearty meat and sausage dishes are served with fresh salads and some of the cakes and desserts are reminiscent of sweets from the Middle East.
