Europe struggles with the largest migrant crisis since World War II.
Montenegro is “sandwiched” between Serbia, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, and therefore it is not a major Balkan route. However, there are fears that if Macedonia closes its border with Greece, migrants might turn to Albania and Montenegro.
If that happens, prime minister Milo Djukanovic has a clear message.
“If European countries dealing with the consequences of the migrant crisis decide to close their borders, what Montenegro can do else but to do the same”, Djukanovic said at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) conference in London.
As CdM learnt, there is a team which closely monitors the situation with refugees and is ready to make the decision at any moment.
“There are allocated resources, as well as prepared location. All that was made seriously and everything is ready for the potential coming. There are teams that have regular meetings and monitor the situation. They also communicate with all international bodies and fellow countries in the region several times a day. However, for the time being there is no indication that they might come to Montenegro,” CdM’s source said.
The issue was particularly topical when migrants went from Macedonia to Serbia and from Serbia to Croatia and Slovenia.
“At that time, Montenegro made a plan in case they start passing through our country at one point. However, as other states closed or at least announced that they will close their borders, logic says that Albania will close its borders before us and that migrants will not be able to come to Montenegro”, the CdM’s source explained.
Meanwhile, Slovenian and Croatian police are already on the borders of Macedonia and Serbia and they will not to let migrants into Macedonia.
“The issue has been coordinated among the police in the region. It seems to me that they (migrants) will not be able to come to Montenegro because they will be stopped at the border. Albania will probably close its southern border,” said the source.
