The President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović said that the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) is a "disturbing factor both in Montenegro and in the region", saying that there are "many" reasons for war and that "a reason could be found in almost any country."
In an interview with the Greek newspaper Katimerini, Đukanović stated that in addition to "unresolved issues" from the period of the breakup of Yugoslavia, "there is a suitable ground for destruction and stagnation in the European integration of the entire region in recent years", and that in Montenegro "for 5-6 years already with the Great Serbian and Russian destruction, we have a political crisis with no end in sight."
Đukanović points out that "throughout the history of the Balkans, it was never a problem to find a reason for a new war", and that the project of the "Russian world" in the Balkans is called the "Serbian world", and Montenegro is considered a natural part of it.
"I think that these (harmful) ideologies, and their promoters, can be seen with the naked eye today. Only those who will not see it. The attempted coup d'état in Montenegro in 2016, which we resisted without any help from the outside, was is just a hint of the Ukrainian horrors we are witnessing. Russia is restoring its historical fullness, gathering the Russian world in its totality of Russians, Belarusians and Little Russians - as one of the promoters of its imperial ambitions sees Russia's military campaign against Ukraine these days. And the Metropolitan of the Church of Serbia in Montenegro at the same time declares that "events in Ukraine are the result of godlessness" and that "Montenegro is designed to be a small Ukraine". special forces to Kiev. Pro-Russian forces in Serbia, Montenegro, Republika Srpska organize rallies in support of Putin and celebrate the "feats" of the Russian army. The media infrastructure, with ample financial support for such action, has long been established in the region. The centers are in Belgrade and Banja Luka, from where the activity spreads to Montenegro and the entire region."
Asked how he sees the end of the war in Ukraine, Đukanović said that "neither those who started this war, nor those who are forced to defend themselves, have an answer to that question", concluding that "historically speaking, the biggest loser of this war will be Russia ."
When asked if he finds similarities between Slobodan Milošević, whom he "knew and worked with", with Vladimir Putin in terms of the exercise of power, Đukanović says that "what happened with the sending of tanks and the siege of Vukovar and Sarajevo in the early XNUMXs is mirrored today in Kiev, Kharkiv and Mariupol in Ukraine", and that "the cult of the leader is the same one enjoyed by Milošević", saying that "it is interesting to look for answers to how Russia entered all this thirty years later based on the concept of the Balkan big-state projects from the nineties and how it is nothing learned from other people's mistakes."
We broadcast the interview of Đukanović in its entirety
Do you think it is possible for the Ukrainian crisis to spill over into the Western Balkans, as Mr. Lavrov and NATO officials have hinted? What could be the cause of a new Balkan war?
Djukanovic: Even before Russia's aggression against Ukraine, during my visit to friendly Greece, I publicly expressed my fear that the Ukrainian crisis could be reflected in the Balkans. Now that the war has broken out, that danger is intensifying. You mentioned that the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs and NATO representatives are warning about this. Are there any more relevant addresses for such a claim.
Unfortunately, throughout the entire history of the Balkans, it was never a problem to find a reason for a new war. In addition to unresolved issues left over from the time of the breakup of Yugoslavia, fertile ground for destruction is also the stagnation in the European integration of the entire region in recent years. This emboldens and strengthens retrograde forces that do not see the future of our countries in the European Union. Bosnia is still dysfunctional, the Serbian entity constantly threatens secession. The dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is going round and round. North Macedonia and Albania have not yet opened accession negotiations. In Montenegro for 5-6 years we have a political crisis that has no end in sight. Opponents of its European and Euro-Atlantic path have meanwhile turned from the opposition into part of the government, and are undermining the institutions of the system from the inside. To make the irony even greater, it was done not only through politics, i.e. by the nationalist involvement of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is a disruptive factor both in Montenegro and in the region, but also with the support of certain Western partners who have not seen and still do not see enough the destruction of third parties wrapped in platitudes about the democratic progress of society. The "Russian World" project is called "Serbian World" in the Balkans, and Montenegro is considered a natural part of it.
So, there are many causes, and the reason for a new war could be found in almost every Balkan country. Reasons for fear are to some extent rationalized by the timely and decisive reaction of the European Union and NATO, the entire democratic world, and the monolith in condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine, and inspires faith that a war in the Balkans will not happen after all.
You stated in an interview during your recent visit to Athens that "there are harmful ideologies that are trying to insert themselves into the countries of the Western Balkans using aggressive methods", warning that "we must be extremely careful to protect ourselves from hybrid wars and cyber attacks". Who are those who promote such ideologies and political practices? I assume that you mean the attempted coup against you in 2016, with the support of Russia.
Djukanovic: I think that these ideologies and their promoters can be seen with the naked eye today. Only those who don't want to see it don't see it. The attempted coup d'état in Montenegro in 2016, which we resisted without anyone's help from the outside, was only a hint of the Ukrainian horrors we are witnessing. Russia is restoring its historical fullness, gathering the Russian world in its totality of Russians, Belarusians and Little Russians - as one of the promoters of its imperial ambitions sees Russia's military campaign against Ukraine these days. And the Metropolitan of the Church of Serbia in Montenegro declares at the same time that "events in Ukraine are the consequences of impiety" and that "Montenegro is designed to be a small Ukraine". He follows the Russian Church, which unreservedly supports the invasion of Ukraine. Serbian pops on social networks shout "three hurrahs" to Chechen President Kadyrov, who sent his special forces to Kiev. Pro-Russian forces in Serbia, Montenegro, and the Republic of Srpska organize rallies in support of Putin and celebrate the "feats" of the Russian army. The media infrastructure, with ample financial support for such activities, has long been established in the region. The centers are in Belgrade and Banja Luka, from where the activity spreads to Montenegro and the entire region.
Unfortunately, Serbia is an open proxy of the Kremlin in the Western Balkans. Belgrade is one of the few European capitals, if not the only one, that has not condemned Russian aggression, and that has not joined the European Union's sanctions policy, even though the country is a candidate. The story of neutrality is a story for young children. As Churchill said, I'm paraphrasing: it doesn't matter if a country is neutral, but on whose side it is neutral. To this day, Serbian nationalists repeat that Belgrade led the right policy in the nineties during the bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia, but did not achieve its goals because Russia was weak. That is why they are looking for a new chance today when they see it strong, and ready to go to war with those closest to them, and they consider the demonstration of Russian power in Ukraine as their big chance. I believe that this is also to a good extent the answer to your previous question.
How would you comment on the Kremlin's decision to include Montenegro in the list of enemy countries and what could be the results of that decision?
Djukanovic: Just as Russia's attack on Ukraine is an anti-historic act, so is the Kremlin's decision to classify Montenegro as an enemy of Russia. Today, being against the war that Russia is waging against the independent European state of Ukraine, against one of the nations closest to the Russians, is not only a matter of honor and national dignity, but also of common sense. Montenegro has never been, nor is it an enemy of Russia, but it is against such anti-civilizational and illegal violent behavior.
We are witnessing that certain countries (BiH, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine) are in a hurry to apply for EU and NATO membership. Do you consider these moves timely?
Djukanovic: It is understandable that circumstances always dictate certain moves and intentions, certain policies, especially when the country finds itself in the middle of a war, like Ukraine. The fear of the countries you mentioned that this could happen to them as soon as tomorrow is also understandable, so they are trying to find salvation in the accelerated path to membership in the EU and NATO. However, unfounded expectations and hopes are never a good ally in politics. I'm afraid that's unrealistic at this point. Just as it is realistic that the Brussels administration and the member states take a more responsible and serious view of the importance of the enlargement policy, which until a few years ago proved to be one of the best policies of the EU. What we stand for to the end is that every country has the right to choose its own path to the future.
You are the head of state with the longest tenure in the Balkans. Based on your extensive experience, how do you see the end of the war in Ukraine?
Djukanovic: I am sure that at this moment neither those who started this war, nor those who are forced to defend themselves, have an answer to that question. The experience of longevity in politics does not help here, because simply in recent European history we have not had an example similar to the Ukrainian war. Moscow strategists are already pleased to announce that "Ukraine has returned to Russia", "that it will be reorganized and returned to its natural state as part of the Russian world", although they do not yet know whether this will be through the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Eurasian Union or the Federal State Russia and Belarus.
However, what can be said with certainty already today, historically speaking, the biggest loser of this war will be Russia.
You knew and worked with Milosevic. Do you find any similarities with Putin in terms of exercising power?
Djukanovic: The exercise of power in all times carries with it certain similarities, regardless of the system or the size of the country. If war is a continuation of politics by other means, then this is especially evident in war situations. Someone recently reminded that what happened with the sending of tanks and the siege of Vukovar and Sarajevo in the early nineties is mirrored today in Kiev, Kharkiv and Mariupol in Ukraine. As if the cult of the leader is the same one enjoyed by Milošević. The historical goals are similar, motivated by the solution of the national question that starts from ethnic and religious affiliation. Also total control of the media, only today it is on a much higher level because technologies have advanced significantly in the meantime. The reason for the war is completely identical - the manipulation of the danger of the compatriots in the neighborhood. It's really interesting, and it will be interesting for historians and political analysts to look for answers to how Russia got into all this thirty years later based on the concept of the Balkan great-state projects of the nineties. And how she didn't learn anything from other people's mistakes.
Bonus video:
