Neither Russia nor any other country could influence the will of Montenegrin voters, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) MP Andrija Nikolic said in an interview with Pobjeda. He added that it would be beneficial for restoring the good relations between Montenegro and Russia that Moscow gave up on interfering with Montenegro’s internal affairs.
When asked if he expected Russia to interfere in the presidential election, that is, to try and impose a pro-Russian presidential candidate through Democratic front (DF), Nikolic said that only citizens of Montenegro could decide on who the president of the country would be.
“Their proven political wisdom is the best guarantor that the presidential post will be assigned to a candidate who, above all, has been affirmed as being loyal to the national and state interests of Montenegro,” Nikolic said.
He suggested that Montenegro do not interfere in the elections in other countries, but that citizens still have fresh memories of the October elections.
2That is why we keep our eyes wide open and we do not forget that on the eve of the previous parliamentary elections, the Montenegrin opposition had unambiguous support from Russian politics. I will remind you that almost all of the main organisers of street protests in Montenegro during the pre-election campaign spent more time in Moscow than in Podgorica and that they were welcomed at a high level by the leaders of the Russian Duma and the leaders of the parties close to the Kremlin. From those meetings they sent messages to the citizens of Montenegro that Russia supports them in their intention to stop Montenegro’s membership in NATO,” he said.
