Komersant: Russia's attempt to prevent Montenegro from joining NATO is counterproductive

Dnevnik writes that among the Montenegrin parliamentary parties, only the New Serbian Democracy, which was one of the organizers of the protest in Podgorica, openly supported the Duma's statement.
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Montenegro, NATO
Montenegro, NATO
Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.
Ažurirano: 23.11.2015. 11:02h

Russia's attempt to prevent Montenegro's invitation to join NATO has had the opposite effect, writes today's Moscow daily Komersant.

The merchant states that it is The German newspaper Welt (Die Welt), citing diplomatic sources, announced on Saturday that on December 1, the heads of NATO diplomacy will send an invitation to Montenegro to join the Alliance. and assesses that "the leak of information about the upcoming expansion of NATO obviously did not happen by chance."

The diary reminds that it is the Russian State Duma on Friday adopted an "extremely harsh statement" against Montenegro's entry into NATO.

In addition, Kommersant adds, according to Velta's information, Russia sent a letter to some NATO members in which it also warned them that the entry of Montenegro would lead to the deterioration of relations between Russia and the Alliance.

"Russian warnings had the opposite effect," the daily writes and states the statement of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Belgrade that any interference by Russia can only strengthen the readiness of NATO members to send an invitation.

Komersant adds that in Podgorica they "reacted calmly to Moscow's warning", that Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said that Russia has the right to oppose the expansion of the Alliance, but that Montenegro, as an independent country, also has the right to choose its future.

Dnevnik writes that among the Montenegrin parliamentary parties, only the New Serbian Democracy, which was one of the organizers of the protest in Podgorica, openly supported the Duma's statement.

"Trying not to allow Montenegro to join NATO, Moscow seems to be focusing on those forces," the newspaper said, adding that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited one of the protest participants, Milan Knežević from the Democratic People's Party, to visit Moscow at the end of November.

"The rating of that party is not higher than a couple of percent, but its leader came forward for the formation of an anti-NATO coalition in the republic, which apparently decided the election," assesses Kommersant.

The paper assesses that the perspectives of creating a strong anti-NATO bloc in Montenegro are not great due to the balance of power in the parliament, and that the close ties between the Montenegrin authorities and the Serbian leadership make this impossible.

"Without the support of Belgrade, the pro-Serbian opposition parties in Montenegro, which are the skeleton of opposition to NATO, can hardly count on anything. Serbia, although it does not officially reject neutrality, implements a policy of active rapprochement with the Alliance, which was confirmed by Stoltenberg's visit to Belgrade." Komersant evaluates.

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