The self-proclaimed head of the Russian citizen’s Coordination Council in Montenegro Viniamin Striga tried to mar Montenegro’s reputation in more than 50 appearances in the Russian media, Dnevne Novine writes.
The huge efforts of Russian propaganda, its patriots, analysts, secret service agents, immigrants temporary employed (as spies) were all in vain. Montenegro is to become a member of NATO.
People like Striga are doing their best to convince their compatriots that Montenegro turned from a “brotherly Orthodox country” to a country where Russians were being arrested for no reason and extradited to the USA. The foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this, in addition to other fabrication…
In this context, the announcement that the Government of Montenegro decided to extend the temporary residence of Russian citizens without a visa in our country from 30 to 90 days was urgently removed from the website of the Russian Embassy in Podgorica without any explanation. Apparently, this did not fit the propaganda aimed at making Russians disguised with Montenegro, Dnevne Novine adds.
Reaction of Russians shows how successful the campaign against Montenegro is. Those who have ever been in Montenegro strongly condemn the Russian TV channels’ campaign against Montenegrin tourism and ridiculed statements diligently read by “good-looking” Zakharova.
Engaging the self-proclaimed head of the Russian citizen’s Coordination Council in Montenegro Vinyamin Striga hasn’t helped either. Due to his anti-Montenegrin campaign in Russia, he will probably not be allowed back to Montenegro again, as well as those whose activities have been registered not only by the authorities but also by the citizens of Montenegro, DN says.
Striga introduced himself as a great expert for relations in Montenegro and many other things from tourism to the economy, geopolitics, Montenegrin history, local political relations and, of course, NATO.
He allegedly lived in Budva for many years and used to host a show on a Russian language station in Budva.
In a TV show “NATO is in the Balkans: Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia?” broadcasted by a Russian TV in 2015, he said:
“I officially declare that our organisation has never dealt with politics. Yes, we can express our opinions and sympathies to, for example, Gojko Raicevic and Igor Damjanovic’s association, but as a Russian organization, we are not engaged in agitation for or against NATO – that is being done by the people of Montenegro.”
Since the moment he uttered this falsehood, Striga has had more than 50 appearances on various Russian TV stations and internet portals, for which he spoke as an “expert” on political issues, related primarily to NATO and Montenegro, as well as for political system in Montenegro, its leader Milo Djukanovic, relations in the Balkans…
In all public appearances, he vigorously represented the interests of political parties and organisations that fought against the Montenegrin accession to NATO. He used the well-known “arguments” such as – Djukanovic is pushing Montenegro in NATO because he has been blackmailed with cigarette smuggling, the state is oppressing Russians and Russian business in Montenegro, if Montenegro joins NATO, there will be a civil war…
This is only part of phrases, Striga has repeated in the Russian media since the beginning of 2015.
This “randomly selected” representative of Russians living in Montenegro has an indicative circle of friends, for an ordinary tourist who liked Montenegro and who decided to live here. Thus, Striga was often seen in the company of Alexander Dugin, Putin’s ideologue and editor of the Katehon website, owned by the proven “friend” of Montenegro, “the Orthodox oligarch” Konstantin Malofeev.
In fact, Striga frequently appeared on the Carigrad news portal and TV station (both owned by Malofeev), as an expert on developments in Montenegro. He mostly played a role of a “spokesman” in TV shows where figures such as Andrija Mandic (DF), Milan Knezevic (DF), Marko Milacic, Igor Damjanovic appeared, saying brutal untruths about Montenegro.
Striga has expanded his journalist and paramilitary contacts in Serbia as well. He was a guest of the Belgrade-based Russian Centre for Science and Culture and spoke on NATO in Montenegro. It is interesting that the panel was also attended by Nemanja Ristic, who is wanted in Montenegro for alleged involvement in the coup attempt. There is a photo of Night Wolves, journalist Oksana Sezonova and Striga holding a flag which reads: Warriors of the Fifth Empire!
The term Fifth Empire is made by Dugin and the main promoters of this idea in the Balkans are members of the Institute for Strategic Research headed by Leonid Reshetnikov and his top associates Nikita Bondarev, Dragana Trifkovic (from the Democratic Serb Party – DSS), Striga and familiar figures from anti-NATO movements in Montenegro: Knezevic, Mandic, Gojko Raicevic (IN4S), Milacic, Damjanovic…
This clique responsible for spreading fabrications on Montenegro and NATO was under the direct command of a senior official of the United Russia Sergei Zeleznyak and his assistant Viktor Kolbanovsky.
With all the political and financial support that has been put at Zeleznyak’s disposal, the Fifth Empire suffered a total fiasco in Montenegro.
Fiasco of the “fifth empire” in Montenegro has cost many protagonists their position – DF has been left without financial support and it run out of money for the long-awaited referendum on NATO. Leonid Reshetnikov has been dismissed from his position as director of the centre and Striga has suddenly changed the country of residence. Although he has left Montenegro immediately after the elections in October 2016, he has continued to appear on Russian TVs and falsely introduce himself as a resident of Budva and the president of the Russians’ association in Montenegro.
It remains to see how the failed mission will reflect on the career of high-ranking United Russia’s official Sergei Zeleznyak, but also others, including those who are not mentioned in this article.
