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What Montenegro needs

Marija Jovićević of Montenegrin daily Pobjeda asked questions. I answered:

Q: Adoption of new law about property of religious community in Montenegro caused great tensions between Podgorica and Belgrade, protest all around Montenegro and violence in Montenegrin parliament. Lots of fake news and propaganda from Serbia is making situation more complicated because they want to keep ownership of Montenegrin churches and monasteries. Cyber experts think that Moscow also is using this tension to destabilize Balkan again. Your comment?

A: Issues of church property are often difficult. They need to be solved by Montenegrins in their democratic institutions and independent judiciary. Nonviolent protest is everyone’s right. Violence is no one’s right.

Q: Can Montenegro be a member of EU until 2025? Is that even possible?

A: I do think it possible, but really you have to ask the EU Council. Montenegro, if it is fully qualified, will be no burden on the EU, and accession would help to keep the European perspective alive for other countries.

Q: Do You think that EU is aware that Montenegro is target of hybrid war from Moscow?

A: I don’t know how they could miss it.

Let me add: Montenegro needs a pro-EU, pro-NATO, pro-democracy opposition. The constant diversion of opposition sentiment into pro-Russian, pro-Serbian channels is ensuring that alternation in power is difficult if not impossible. It is time for a serious, responsible opposition to emerge. There is no guarantee it will come to power, but democracy requires it.