In an exclusive interview with the Politico magazine, PM Dusko Markovic said that when US president Donald Trump pushed him out of the way at the recent NATO meeting in Brussels, steamrollering past him and then proudly adjusting his jacket, it was not merely another Trumpian viral-video moment, but that it meant the rest of the planet was suddenly familiar with Montenegro.
According to Politico, the president of the United States had in fact blundered into the most symbolic target possible: The leader of a tiny Balkan country that had chosen, at significant risk to itself, to join the NATO alliance—even as Trump became the first American leader since World War II to publicly question the alliance’s mission, future relevance and even its core principle of collective defence.
“I have to say that I’m very grateful that this incident, so to say, took place. Because this is what made us so famous,” Markovic told Politico. “This is what made Montenegro so famous.”
“Before that contact took place, I had met President Trump personally. We shook hands, we talked a little bit. I thanked him for all the support of the United States on our path of integration into NATO. It has nothing to do with me, personally, as a prime minister… President Trump, at a certain point, tried to get closer to the secretary-general, and that’s all that happened,” Markovic said.
According to Markovic, although it was referred to by most media outlets as pushing or shoving, it was, after all, only a harmless incident.
Asked to comment on Russia’s behaviour, Markovic said the country’s acts were not democratic.
“This is not something that is in line with civilisational standards, with political standards, but it would not humper Montenegro on its path,” Markovic said.
