Brnabić: Serbia retracts its decision to expel Milošević, we agree with Božović's statement

Tonight, Serbia will unilaterally withdraw the decision to declare the Montenegrin ambassador in Belgrade, Tarzan Milošević, persona non grata, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said.

Brnabić told reporters that such a decision was made at her tonight's meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković and that she hopes it will be "interpreted as an act of goodwill".

She said that Vučić asked the Government to consider yesterday's decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia to declare Milošević persona non grata.

"Vučić both understands and supports yesterday's Government decision, we reacted in accordance with the Vienna Convention, completely normal and natural. He said that conventions are important, but that life is more important, that our cooperation with Montenegro is important and that we should once again to extend a hand of friendship because there have been a lot of conflicts in the region," said Brnabić.

She said that Serbia's top government consulted with the representatives of Serbs in Montenegro about withdrawing the decision and added that they supported such a move.

The decision to expel Milošević was made yesterday as a reciprocal measure after Montenegro declared the Serbian ambassador in Podgorica, Vladimir Božović, persona non grata and asked him to leave the country within 72 hours.

The Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday that Božović had been continuously interfering in the internal affairs of Montenegro for a long time and that he had made statements incompatible with the usual and acceptable standards of diplomatic function.

"And after several warnings that such behavior is unacceptable, Božović once again belittled Montenegro on Friday by calling the illegal and illegitimate Podgorica Assembly in 1918 the liberation and free will of the Montenegrin people," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro stated.

Tonight, Brnabić quoted Božović's disputed statement and stated that it "cannot be a reason to expel the ambassador of one country from the country".

"I, Minister Selaković, the entire Government of Serbia, and I believe the whole of Serbia, will agree with this statement. I can assume that half of Montenegro also agrees. This statement, in which (Božović) called several times for brotherhood, harmony and reconciliation, can be a reason for a note of protest, but not for declaring the ambassador persona non grata," said the Prime Minister of Serbia.

She said that "it seems that the outgoing Montenegrin authorities expected something to happen so that there would be a reason to expel the ambassador".

"We do not want to have such an act of hostility towards Montenegro, with whom we want to work and cooperate. We care about having good, ever-improving, excellent relations with Montenegro," said the Prime Minister of Serbia.

She stated that "it is necessary to give a chance to friendship, partnership and cooperation", both for reasons of regional stability and because Serbs make up 30 percent of the population of Montenegro. Brnabić said that she was sorry that in Montenegro "the truth, that is, the historical fact, is being overturned" more and more often. "I am sorry that in Montenegro it is said that Serbia was the occupier in the First World War. Serbia, which is seen not only throughout Europe but also in the world as one of the greatest martyrs of the First World War, unfortunately, by some officials of Montenegro, it is declared the occupier Brnabić said.

She stated that economic relations with Montenegro are also important to Serbia, and added that trade in goods last year amounted to 857,3 million euros, of which exports from Serbia were 787,4 million, and imports from Montenegro 69,9 million euros.

Mandatory for the composition of the Government of Montenegro Zdravko Krivokapić said this morning that he regrets the decision to expel the Serbian ambassador Vladimir Božović from Podgorica, assessing that such moves are not in the spirit of the European path and good regional cooperation between friendly countries.

He stated that even in the last days, the outgoing Montenegrin regime does not shy away from polarizing society and deepening divisions, and that the new government will work to improve relations with Serbia.