In Montenegro, there are groups and individuals who advocate the creation of autonomous regions on an ethnic basis and communicate with related groups in neighboring countries, which may cause problems in mixed ethnic environments, but for now there are no serious consequences for the stability of the state, the National Security Agency (ANB) announced in responses to questions from "Vijesti" (News).
According to information from "Vijesti", security services are particularly monitoring Nikšić, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Pljevlja and Gusinje - municipalities in which individuals and groups advocating the creation of Serbian and Albanian regions have been observed.
The Agency explains that such actors operate in a number of ways, from public appearances to promotional campaigns on social networks, all with the aim of provoking a reaction and deepening divisions along religious and national lines.
"Also, certain groups are promoting the idea of decentralization through advertising on social networks, which can be seen as a certain form of security threat to territorial integrity, primarily through advocating the formation of separate regions and autonomous areas on an ethnic basis. However, apart from this type of action, which can be reduced to a verbal level, the ANB has not registered other methods of action that could potentially be classified as a more serious security risk," the secret service told "Vijesti".
They explained that these groups also promote the idea of decentralization through advertising on social networks...
From the institution he leads Ivica Janović, answered the newspaper's questions about potential security risks in the municipalities of Nikšić, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Pljevlja and Gusinje.
Although they did not answer specific individual questions, the secret police stated that groups and organizations that advocate the formation of separate regions and autonomous areas on an ethnic basis, or rather their leading representatives, based on a similar ideological and national matrix, maintain close contacts with similar groups and associations in the countries of the region.
"Ethnonationalist/ethnoseparatist-oriented individuals are exposed within groups and organizations that are recognized for their stances on various forms of extremism, and their actions also manifest certain manifestations aimed at generating reactions that contribute to the polarization of society on religious and national grounds and the creation of a risk for the spread of hatred and the emergence of violent extremism, with a focus on mixed national environments. It is precisely this type of activity of individuals and groups that, in the previous period (to a lesser extent and at a certain point in time), had an impact on the security environment in certain nationally mixed environments, but without serious consequences for the security and stability of the state," Janović's office responded.
They state that, at the same time, starting from a similar ideological and national matrix, the indicated groups and organizations, or rather their leading representatives, maintain close contacts with similar groups and associations in the countries of the region.
The Balkans has repeatedly been the scene of ethno-separatist projects - from the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, to later initiatives that advocated federalization, autonomy, or secession on ethnic grounds in various forms. Montenegro, both during and after its restoration of independence in 2006, was faced with intense propaganda campaigns that questioned its sovereignty. Today, although on a much smaller scale, it is possible to find similar ideas on social networks and in some political-ideological circles.
The ANB says that the Agency, as part of the security system of Montenegro, "continuously and in accordance with its legal powers, carries out all activities related to the protection of the constitutionally established legal order, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Montenegro."
"Also, the ANB is reviewing all events and phenomena that are contrary to the declared national and strategic foreign policy interests of Montenegro," the office of the head of the secret service emphasized.
Thus, they answered a set of questions about potential security risks in the municipalities of Nikšić, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Pljevlja and Gusinje, which could lead to separatist or extremist tendencies, about the existence of assessments about the presence and activities of extremist groups or ideologies in these municipalities, and if they exist - whether they pose a serious threat to the stability of the state, whether communication or cooperation of local extremist structures with organizations or political entities outside Montenegro has been recorded, whether tensions or incidents between different ethnic and religious communities in Gusinje and other multi-ethnic municipalities have been recorded, and what are the forecasts regarding the possibility of their escalation, whether there are assessments about the risk of losing effective state control over the territories in the municipalities of Nikšić, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Gusinje and Pljevlja, whether the Agency has developed plans for prevention or response in the event of strengthening separatist tendencies or attempts to create "autonomous areas", and to what extent are international factors (neighboring countries, foreign organizations) present or active in these issues and whether they pose a serious threat to the stability of the state. threat to the security of Montenegro.
What are ethnonationalism and ethnic separatism?
American political scientist Walker Connor, in his book Ethnonationalism: The Quest for Understanding (1994), explains that a nation is primarily a psychological concept, based on the belief in common ancestry, while a state is a political-legal entity.
According to him, emotional attachment to the nation is far deeper than loyalty to the state, because the nation is perceived as an "extended family."
Dr. Dušan Kecmanović writes that nationalism and ethno-nationalism differ primarily in their relationship to the individual, on the one hand, and the nation, or state, on the other.
"Nationalism seeks to limit the power of government and secure civil rights, individual freedom and autonomy. Ethnonationalism, on the other hand, places the nation above the interests and rights of the individual," he writes in the text Nationalism-Ethnonationalism: Dying and Killing for One's People.
Ethnic separatism is the advocacy of the separation of a particular ethnic group from the wider political community, often motivated by a desire for self-determination, autonomy or independence. This movement may arise from feelings of marginalization, discrimination or cultural differences, leading groups to seek greater control over their governance and resources. Ethnic separatism often leads to tensions or conflict within states, especially in multi-ethnic societies.
On the other hand, separatism is a political concept in which a group, often defined by shared ethnic, racial, linguistic, geographic, or religious characteristics, seeks to gain independence from a larger governing body. This aspiration may include striving for self-sovereignty or the creation of separate social structures that preserve the group's identity and protect it from external cultural influences.
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