The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will not move to Cetinje, as required by law, but, as announced by the department, it will hold certain activities in the building of the former Russian embassy, such as meetings during visits by foreign diplomats, or heads of diplomacy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told "Vijesti" that they have conducted an analysis of all necessary activities relevant to the possible relocation to the former Russian embassy building in the capital.
"In this context, certain challenges have been identified related to the location and spatial limitations of the facility, working conditions, as well as budgetary aspects of equipping and organizing the transport of officials," the department headed by the head stated. Ervin Ibrahimovic (Bosniak Party).
According to the Law on the Capital, Cetinje is the residence of the President of Montenegro, as well as the headquarters of the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture. The capital is, for now, the residence of the head of state and the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the editorial staff that, bearing in mind that the relocation of all departments of that department could affect the efficiency of work, it is planned to carry out some of the activities in the building of the former Russian embassy.
"The intention is to use the space for meetings during working and official visits of foreign ministers, meetings with foreign diplomats accredited in Montenegro, organizing bilateral consultations, receptions hosted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, as well as for ceremonial activities," they explained.
Ibrahimović's department emphasizes that they remain committed to the goal of implementing as many activities as possible in the capital, which, they add, is confirmed by recent events - last year's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Prince's Office for Foreign Affairs and the marking of the first Montenegrin Diplomacy Day this year in the Government House.
They remind that the building of the former Russian embassy currently houses the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) of the University of Montenegro, to which the building was ceded for temporary use until the end of 2025 due to the reconstruction of the former Turkish embassy.
The Royal Capital told "Vijesti" at the beginning of the year that the former Russian embassy building was damaged in a fire in 2012 and "purposefully renovated" for the needs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but that this department was not moved to Cetinje even after the completion of the works. They believe that this would further increase Cetinje's diplomatic importance as the capital of Montenegro, and that it would be important to put this cultural and historical building into its intended function.
Political actors have repeatedly said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be moved to the capital. Such a promise was made in 2013 by the then mayor of Cetinje. Aleksandar Bogdanović and former ministers of foreign affairs and culture Igor Luksic i Branimir Micunovic (all three from the Democratic Party of Socialists - DPS).
“The relocation of the MFAEI (former Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration) will be completed next year (2014). Mayor Bogdanović concluded that this will once again make Cetinje the leading diplomatic center in Montenegro, as it has been in the past,” the Ministry of Culture announced in August 2013.
One of the promises was made in early November 2015, when Bogdanović and Lukšić were accompanied by the head of the UNDP Fione Mekluni visited the former Russian embassy on the day the reconstruction began and said that the relocation would be completed in 2016.
Promises were also made by the authorities that came after the three-decade rule of the DPS was ended in 2020. Thus, in November 2021, the then Foreign Minister Đorđe Radulović announced that part of the MVP would be moved to Cetinje.
Most of these promises were made on the eve of local or national elections.
The building of the former Russian embassy was built in 1903, according to a design by an Italian architect. Cesare Augusto CorradiniIt served the needs of the embassy until 1916, and then housed a children's hospital and various educational institutions.
At the time of the fire in 2012, it housed the Faculty of Fine Arts.
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