Relations between Montenegro and Russia won’t get better overnight. Little Montenegro and huge Russia don’t weigh the same and relations between the two countries depends on the official Moscow, says the analyst Dušan Janjić from the European Movement in Montenegro.
Janjić states that Russia will slowly but surely start to withdraw from getting involved into the internal affairs of Montenegro. However, one shouldn’t maintain illusions that the relations between these two countries will get better soon.
„This relationship will not change essentially, until a wider agreement between the USA and EU with Russia is reached – agreement on leaving this part of Balkans in the hands of NATO and the EU“, said Janjić.
The new President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović, gave recently some hints that relations between Russia and Montenegro could become better and that he would definitely work on it during his term of office.
Srđan Darmanović, Montenegrin diplomacy chief, also pointed out that relations between Podgorica and Moscow should be ameliorated adding that, in order to make that happen, efforts from both sides should be put in.
What works in favor of the improvement of the relations between the two countries is the fact that Vladimir Putin, Russian president, congratulated Milo Đukanović on his victory at the presidential elections.
However, Janjić doesn’t believe that this improvement will happen very soon.
„It all depends on Moscow. As long as Russia keeps creating tensions in West Balkans, having Serbia as its ally, Montenegro will be a collateral“, says Janjić.
Momčilo Radulović says that it’s up to Russia to make the first steps towards the harmonization of the relations between the two countries.
„However, if Russia keeps supporting political forces which destabilize Montenegro, we shouldn’t keep alive any hope“, says Radulović.
