Tivat under special measures ahead of the Summit: Fewer people on the streets, increased police and military presence

Nearly 40 high-ranking foreign delegations are coming to Tivat today and early tomorrow morning for the EU-Western Balkans Summit, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and others.

That's why special measures are in place in the city, reducing traffic and work in local schools, banks, some companies, and public institutions.

There was a noticeable increase in the presence of members of the Police Directorate of Montenegro and the Municipal Police on the streets, who were assisted by numerous colleagues from neighboring cities for the purpose of holding the Summit.

On the streets, with the exception of the city's waterfront, Pine, where there is the usual hustle and bustle of locals and tourists, there are noticeably fewer people.

Numerous journalist teams from the country and abroad have arrived in Tivat, preparing to report on tomorrow's Summit - the largest international gathering to be held in the history of Montenegro so far.

In the waters of the Tivat Bay, there are several fast patrol boats of the Navy of the Montenegrin Armed Forces armed with 12,7 mm machine guns, which ensure a security perimeter at sea around Porto Montenegro, where a ban on the entry and exit of all ships has come into effect.

The security perimeter around the Regent Porto Montenegro Hotel, where the Summit will be held, is fenced off and strict access restrictions are in place.

Uniformed and plainclothes members of various security services are everywhere, police vehicles patrol the city, and occasionally columns of black limousines and jeeps are seen rotating in circles, entering the area around Porto Montenegro, where traffic is closed to all other vehicles on Istarska and Arsenalska streets.

A stage is being set up on the city's Pine waterfront where a special cultural and entertainment program will be performed tonight in honor of the EU-Western Balkans Summit.

All traffic on the Adriatic Highway through Tivat was completely suspended shortly before 12 noon and will likely remain so until the departure of the last delegations participating in the Summit on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

On every street and side road junction throughout Tivat, there are police officers or parked police vehicles, not allowing anyone to enter the highway by car.

The only exception that the "Vijesti" journalist noticed was a few cyclists who were leisurely moving along the highway on short distances.

The "Vijesti" reporter met foreign tourists in several places who spoke with police officers at roadblocks and were shocked and surprised by the information that until further notice, they could not travel in motor vehicles around Tivat.

Local authorities have not provided citizens with any alternative transportation option by sea, so residents of all suburban settlements are literally cut off from the city.

Their only alternative is walking, but even that will be temporarily suspended because, according to protocol, even pedestrians cannot be on the sidewalks along the highway while convoys of protected persons are passing.