The Ambassador of Serbia in Montenegro, Vladimir Božović, said that relations between the two countries should be built through a culture of dialogue and respect, because "the two brotherly countries should be an example of the best neighborly, regional and European policy and cooperation."
"Serbia sees Montenegro as an independent and sovereign member of the United Nations, but also as its closest ally, brother, friend and has no pretensions towards it. But he certainly aspires to full support and every possible help and protection for the Serbian people in Montenegro, considering it natural and his state obligation and duty, even though the Serbs in Montenegro are state-forming, autochthonous and on their own. Because neither I nor other Serbs in Montenegro came from Serbia, but our ancestors created and defended it together with their holy family of Petrović. The fact that historical circumstances have brought us to the present time, state frameworks and forms, should not separate us. "Different views on the nation and religion and its church form must by no means make us enemies", says the ambassador.
In an interview with "Vijesti", he expressed the expectation that the situation caused by the pandemic "will make all citizens, as well as the two countries, smarter and closer together.
Considering the current situation, what is the priority of your work and are there still citizens from Montenegro planning to return to Serbia?
The COVID19 pandemic, unfortunately, did not pass by either Serbia or Montenegro, it necessarily led to a change in the priority of the work of the Embassy, so that the need to help and care for citizens of Serbia who found themselves in the territory of Montenegro due to their reasons and needs came to the fore. We focused considerable energy on enabling their return to Serbia, while at the same time respecting the necessary measures, so as not to harm the goal for which they were introduced. I would also add help with communication between them, explanations of the situation and interpretation of protective measures, but also help with the urgent transfer of them, as well as some Montenegrin citizens, to emergency treatment in Belgrade.
Since the beginning of the application of the measures, until now, more than 500 people have returned to Serbia, in several organized group and individual trips. In doing so, the Embassy of Serbia had excellent cooperation and extraordinary help from the competent authorities of Montenegro, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Police Administration and Montenegro Airlines and the Airport of Montenegro, for which we are very grateful. We expect such cooperation in the immediate future, because there are still many citizens of Serbia on the territory of Montenegro who would like to return. The Embassy and I work regularly and daily and there is no interruption in functioning, except to some extent in certain functions of the consular department of the Embassy, which is due to a certain reduction in contacts with citizens.
What is your cooperation with the authorities in Podgorica, considering the tensions that arose at the beginning of the year due to the issue of church property?
Cooperation with the authorities of Montenegro, but also with all other public and social structures in Montenegro, is good and with a tendency to improve. I would emphasize good and correct cooperation with the opposition parliamentary parties, the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and other dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church, fellow ambassadors and the diplomatic corps, the academic community, the media and prominent cultural and public workers.
A positive result can only be achieved in cooperation and synergy with all social factors. We must work dedicatedly on culture in general because the whole civilization rests on it, and especially in the culture of dialogue as an effective mechanism that makes a society stable and prosperous. This is precisely why I believe that in the future, the expert teams of the Montenegrin Littoral Metropolis and the Government of Montenegro will, through a constructive dialogue, reach a solution that is in accordance with the positive legal regulations of Montenegro and European and UN practice in this area, and which will be acceptable to both sides.
Such conciliatory tones did not come from the authorities in Belgrade, but neither from Podgorica, whose officials even today accuse Serbia of persistently having pretensions to this area?
Serbia's policy is a responsible policy of cooperation, agreement, mutual respect and respect for all UN principles and standards. All the messages and statements of the President of Serbia, who symbolizes national unity, were in the spirit of our best possible relations, full regional cooperation and stability, or high respect or appreciation for the state of Montenegro. These, among other things, were the main messages to the President of Montenegro, when I handed over letters of credit.
Somewhat different tones sometimes came from the official Podgorica and Belgrade only reacted to them, but again I would say very restrained or with respect that it was more a product of internal needs than directly addressed to Serbia. I witnessed something similar when I was an adviser to the Prime Minister of Serbia from other countries in the region, while his and the government's reaction and Belgrade's was to reduce tensions and send a message of peace and cooperation.
I believe that in addition to the huge number of our similarities and coincidences in foreign policy, there are also those things that we look at differently, but that should not distance us and make us enemies. Serbia perceives Montenegro as the closest fraternal, friendly and neighboring country and wants to develop and improve economic, political, cultural, scientific and any other cooperation with it.
How do you estimate the consequences of the current pandemic for Serbia, that is, for the relations between the two countries?
I hope and want to believe that this pandemic will make us even wiser and closer. This is a time of great re-examination of modern man and his relationship to God, other man, Earth and nature. Now the most important thing is to establish an anti-pandemic coalition at the level of the entire society, the region, Europe and the world and cooperate as best as possible and show solidarity and philanthropy in action and not in words. My favorite maxim is Res non verba - Actions, not words.
I hope that we will all draw lessons from this great global, civilizational, existential crisis of both spirit and body and that we as a world, and we in Serbia and Montenegro, will draw the necessary clear lessons. It seems to me that we will not be able to continue in the same way as before, we will need more true love, faith, hope and patience, a sincere attitude towards the citizens and their problems, of which there will be even more. This is the meaning and essence of understanding the life philosophy of engaging in politics for the benefit of others and not oneself, and this will be continued and highlighted as a priority through my diplomatic mission in Montenegro.
Serbia faces a challenging process of European integration. Given that Montenegro receives praise from Brussels for being a leader in the region, is there cooperation in this field and is the attempt to burn the Montenegrin flag at the embassy in Belgrade something that is a heavy burden for the two countries?
Certainly, the priority of both countries is the European perspective and the most successful and effective negotiation process with the European Union. Accession to the European Union is a national priority for both Serbia and Montenegro, and I believe that mutual support and cooperation in that process is very welcome. We are facing a new phase in the negotiation process, which we need to use as best and as efficiently as possible in order to build the institutions of the rule of law and true public service for our citizens. European integration is the common point of support for our problems, which should be overcome through this process using the best European experiences. By setting common goals above occasional political differences, such as the positions regarding the Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief precisely through the positions of the Venice Commission and European practice, it should be responsibly overcome.
The respirators ended up where they were most needed
Where did the ventilators that were offered to Montenegro end up and how do you see the politicization of the epidemic?
The entire world public, including politicians in Montenegro, the region and Europe, agree that there is no place for the politicization of the epidemic and the spread of the infodemic. We must and should work on this together and with dedication, and with the comprehensive and sincere help of you from the media. We see and witness the great assistance of the EU to the Western Balkans, we see the great cooperation of the USA and Russia, the great and brotherly assistance of China, Turkey and Serbia and Montenegro and others, so in that context I consider Serbia's offer and assistance to Montenegro to be benevolent and friendly, and I proud. We respect and understand the position of the official Montenegro regarding this aid.
Both the Embassy and I have repeatedly sent a clear message to the public about the importance of respecting the recommendations of the medical profession presented to citizens through the Temporary Measures in Montenegro, that is, the measures adopted through the Decision to introduce a state of emergency in Serbia. We consider this our contribution to the fight against infectious disease and the politicization of the pandemic, i.e. the political infodemic.
It will be like this in the future and I am sure that we will not be part of the problem but part of the solution.
And the respirators ended up where they were most needed to save someone's life.
I am from Nikšić, a Montenegrin, a Serb, a Belgrader, a star...
Does the fact that you are from Montenegro make your job easier or does it create additional pressure?
I'll be completely honest and say that it puts a certain amount of pressure on me. The famous words of our Lord Jesus Christ who said: "No one is a prophet in his own village", as the Gospel according to Thomas tells us, or which in my case is better explained by a quote from the Gospel according to Luke: "Truly I say to you that no prophet is well received in his native region”.
I would like to point out that I am very honored and proud that, on the proposal of the President of Serbia and the Government, I was appointed to represent Serbia in the country where I was born. It is a great honor, but also an obligation. I came with this awareness and responsibility to build and improve the best possible brotherly and friendly relations between the two countries. I came to work in the interest of Serbia and all its citizens, but never to the detriment of Montenegro and its citizens, naturally and logically, in my opinion, we are the two closest member states of the United Nations.
When I handed over letters of credit to the President of Montenegro, I asked him that the fact that I was born and originally from Montenegro should not be taken as a bad thing and a burden for performing a not easy job. I explained that I am from Nikšić, a Montenegrin, a Serb, an Orthodox, a Belgrader, a star, a European and a citizen of the world, and that all these identities do not exclude each other, but on the contrary make up a unique mosaic of my personality, and I am convinced that many of my compatriots and Montenegro and Serbia and in the world.
It is now more important than ever to call on responsibility and love
Božović congratulated the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Irinej, Metropolitan Amfilohi, and bishops Joaniku, Atanasi and Dimitri, on Easter: "This year, we welcome the resurrection of the Lady in temptation and suffering when a virus brought the whole of humanity to its knees, and that is why it is even more important and necessary for us. Just as it is more necessary and important than ever since it is celebrated to call each other to love and responsibility, to imagine and ask ourselves how we relate to God, to each other, to the earth and nature", says the ambassador.
He recalls the words of the former patriarch of the SPC Pavle - "Let us be people", stating that without this people are not worthy of Christ's innocent suffering.
Bonus video:
