The Montenegrin embassy in Belgrade has been attacked, allegedly by members of the Serbian Orthodox Church and “Red Star”.
Crowds congregated outside the embassy, set fire to a Montenegrin flag, and threw fireworks and other pyrotechnics at it. They also called for the Ambassador to Serbia to be declared persona non grata. A number of Serbian policemen were present at the time and tried to maintain order and secure the building.
Prime Minister of Montenegro Dusko Markovic said; “Another atrocity, an attack took place at the Embassy of Montenegro last night in Belgrade. Montenegro will still be protected despite the hatred exposed by the same people at home and abroad.”
Tensions developed after the fears that a new law, passed in the early hours of 27 December in Serbian parliament will result in their land being seized. Under the provisions of the law, both objects and land that belonged to the state prior to 1918 will become state property and a part of Montenegro’s’ cultural heritage, unless there is evidence to prove ownership.
The Montenegrin government claims the bill meets EU standards and that the activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church will not be affected.
The matter is further exacerbated by ongoing disputes over Montenegro’s ethnic identity and history sovereignty, both of which are disputed by Serbian nationalists and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The Democratic Party of Albania has reacted to the news, offering their full support to Montenegro.
“The DP fully supports Montenegro’s Euro-Atlantic orientation and supports the decisions of the country’s elected institutions in consolidating state sovereignty.”
They added:
“Apart from a serious act, concerns are raised about the fact that there were radical groups and exponents of criminal offences, many of them part of the Serbian paramilitary forces, who carried out massacres during the wars in the former Yugoslavia. Belgrade’s insatiable thirst for dominance seriously threatens the stability of the Balkans. Repeated efforts to destabilize Montenegro also aim to violently divert the country’s Euro-Atlantic orientation.
This event transcends the Balkan conflicts and constitutes an open act of provocation against NATO, the EU and peace and stability in our region.”
Exit asked an Albanian government spokesperson if they also support Montenegro in this matter, but received no response. This comes just days after Albania assumed Chairmanship of the OSCE whose responsibility it is to promote and encourage peace and stability, both in the region and across all member states.
