Montenegro

Montenegro Democratic Front leader

02 Jun 2021 0 2

Andrija Mandic

Inserted 2 years ago

“This government and its prime minister didn't fulfill promises given to the Serbian Orthodox Church or our expectations, and they don't have our trust. We have to talk within the ruling majority.”

Leader of the Montenegro pro-Serbian Democratic Front

31 May 2021 1 3

Milo Djukanovic

Inserted 2 years ago

“I will return the prosecution laws to a new vote in parliament because they are against the constitution. Fundamental democratic principles and our partnership with the EU are being destroyed by these laws. The constitution does not provide for control over the judiciary.”

President of Montenegro

19 May 2021 2 2

Olivér Várhelyi

Inserted 3 years ago

“We care about Montenegro, we care about the Western Balkans and we care about our friends, the people of Montenegro. Together with COVAX we are delivering almost a million doses to the Western Balkans, and this is the beginning. We do hope that as more vaccines come into Europe we would be able to convince more and more Member States to share their available dosses with the Western Balkans.”

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement

04 May 2021 5 3

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The intention of this government is to form a commission that, in agreement with the Croatian side, will try to solve a very complex problem [maritime dispute with Croatia over the Prevlaka peninsula]. We need to resolve this because of EU integration, because they will not tolerate unresolved bilateral issues in the accession process. I hope this commission will help resolve this problem.”

Montenegro Prime Minister

28 Apr 2021 2 4

Tena Prelec

Inserted 3 years ago

“Montenegro is in the EU's backyard: it would be, finally, a concrete way to show that the EU is indeed 'a player, a true geostrategic actor, [and not] just the playground', [a quote by HR Borrell] by taking a constructive stance in its immediate neighborhood. There are lots of European agencies that can provide the loan to repay the Chinese. It is only $1bn, whereas the EU banking system is flush with liquidity at the moment. For instance, the European Investment Bank (EIB) could step in. If not, I do not see why a consortium of EU banks cannot step in to give the loan.”

Research Fellow at the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford

16 Apr 2021 4 3

Viola von Cramon-Taubadel

Inserted 3 years ago

“The Chinese government has the chance (if Montenegro cannot serve the loan) to take over main parts of Montenegro's coastline. So, before that we should think twice not to play in the Chinese hands again.”

Member of European Parliament and shadow rapporteur for Serbia

15 Apr 2021 1 3

Vuk Vuksanović

Inserted 3 years ago

“This [helping Montenegro] is a rare opportunity for the EU to step up in its backyard and push back against China. But it also wouldn't be the first strategic opportunity that the bloc has squandered in the Balkans. Doing so would be a bad signal to the region and a green light to Beijing.”

Researcher at Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

14 Apr 2021 4 4

Zoran Miljanic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The motive for the attack [to the weekly Monitor's editor-in-chief, Esad Kocan] will be determined, but penalties for attacking journalists must also be stricter. The ministry will consider all possibilities about whether journalists should get the status of officials.”

Montenegro's Interior Ministry Secretary

31 Mar 2021 3 4

Dritan Abazović

Inserted 3 years ago

“I think that this is a logical answer, to replace that bad loan with a new, more favourable one, which would be easier for Montenegro to deliver. But we also have to think about alternative models of financing the construction of the other two sections of the highway, without which the first section does not make full sense, and which would fully protect Montenegrin property.”

Euractiv

Montenegro Deputy Prime Minister

26 Mar 2021 3 2

Zorka Kordić

Inserted 3 years ago

“Any return of the enlargement policy to a lively political debate at the EU level is a positive signal, and especially positive for Montenegro, which is fully aligned with the common foreign and security policy of the EU, and as a NATO member, wants to better position itself in any high-level political dialogue. Political intergovernmental conferences should provide room for substantive debate, both in the rule of law and in other areas relevant to negotiations, such as economic governance or public administration reform.”

Montenegro EU Chief Negotiator

19 Mar 2021 3 2

Natasa Kovacevic

Inserted 3 years ago

“Montenegro has no capacity to monitor and control oil exploration. Even it's just test exploration in this phase, in future there will be oil platforms on our seashore. It could have a large impact on nature and on tourism, because no one goes on vacation where there are oil platforms. The government should terminate the contract. The potential damage to nature is far greater than the cost of terminating the contract.”

Chairman of Steering Committee of the NGO Green Home

18 Mar 2021 3 4

Miroslav Lajčák

Inserted 3 years ago

“The European Commission (EC) has said that by the end of its current mandate, one country could end negotiations and that Montenegro is the best candidate for that.”

European Union's special envoy to Serbia-Kosovo talks

04 Mar 2021 1 3

Ivan Ejup Kostic

Inserted 3 years ago

“In addition to the state of Serbia, the main instigator of the Greater Serbia idea and the unification of 'Serbian lands' is the Serbian Orthodox Church [SPC]. Its main strength lies in the fact that it is guaranteed by law that it can act across borders, which it does. Under the guise of the church's struggle for its religious rights, it conducted political changes which brought to power ultra-right pro-Serbian parties such as the Democratic Front.”

Aljazeera

Board member of the European Muslim Network

16 Feb 2021 3 6

Milo Dukanovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The friendship between our two countries is constantly improving. Our cooperation has been further strengthened in many areas through the 17+1 mechanism [China-Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) Summit (17+1)] which recently incorporated the fight against COVID-19 and other pandemic viruses. Although we are the smallest of the countries participating in the Mechanism, we have extremely large development potentials that we want to valorise in cooperation with credible Chinese partners. Therefore, Montenegro will support the proposed list of activities for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries in 2021. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to address Chinese companies interested in cooperation with Montenegro. Attentively heeding their interests, it became clear that there is a desire to continue cooperation on the construction of the highway through Montenegro to the port of Bar, as well as the development of logistics and industrial zones in its vicinity. Such a project would give a strong impetus to a faster economic recovery in the post-pandemic era and better connect Montenegro with neighbouring and overseas countries.”

Balkaneu

President of Montenegro

09 Feb 2021 3 4

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“It is not a question of who will welcome the Prime Minister of Serbia [Ana Brnabic]. The question is will she find time to come and greet all those who would like to see her in Montenegro, because she is the Prime Minister of fraternal and neighbouiring Serbia. Our people should not be faced with … technical questions about whether the Prime Minister [of Serbia] will be welcomed by the [Serbian] charge d’affaires or the ambassador. In that formal sense, there is someone to welcome her.”

Montenegro Prime Minister

25 Jan 2021 2 2

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“This is the first visit that is taking place during the second week of the work of the new democratic government, tangible proof of the greatest support. Because at the moment, while Brussels – like the rest of the world – is battling the COVID-19 pandemic with a lack of resources, it is an honor and a pleasure to visit. We are committed to raising the quality of life of our citizens and the investments we will certainly attract, and another thing we have neglected – the rule of law.”

Montenegro Prime Minister

17 Dec 2020 4 4

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“No individuals or parallel institutions can be stronger than the state. I will try to be the prime minister who will talk less and work more. I would like to make Montenegro similar to Luxembourg in four years.”

Montenegro Prime Minister

04 Dec 2020 0 2

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“Such acts [expulsion of the Serbian ambassador in Montenegro] are not in the spirit of the European path and good regional cooperation of friendly countries. We will promote a truly good neighborly policy with Belgrade, as well as with everyone in the region, on the principle of sovereignty, independence and noninterference in the internal affairs of other countries.”

Montenegro Prime Minister-designate

29 Nov 2020 1 2

Ana Pisonero

Inserted 3 years ago

“Montenegro is at an advanced stage in the EU accession process and it would be very important for us to see the new government use the coming months to accelerate political and economic reforms. The next big achievement for us would be for the government to meet the interim criteria for Chapters 23 and 24, which will help the country move forward in the negotiation process.”

European Commission’s Spokesperson

06 Nov 2020 4 3

Milan Knezevic

Inserted 3 years ago

“As we are the main political force in the new majority, the leaders of the Democratic Front have to be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs. Krivokapic has to respect the political will of the voters and shouldn’t insist on experts at the expense of political parties. If he doesn’t want Democratic Front leaders in the government, he should say it clearly. Then we’ll decide what to do next.”

Leader of the Democratic Front one of the strongest forces in the coalition that won parliamentary elections

26 Oct 2020 2 2

Central Bank of Montenegro

Inserted 3 years ago

“Chinese investments involved investments in companies in Montenegro or their purchase, the purchase of real estate and so-called inter-company debt, in other words companies from Montenegro borrowing money from companies from China.”

Statement of the Central Bank of Montenegro

20 Oct 2020 5 2

Milo Djukanovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“It is more than obvious that the Serbian Orthodox Church was not only inappropriately involved in the elections, but was also the most active political actor. The Serbian Orthodox Church is constantly an instrument of Greater Serbian nationalism and Russian imperial interests in the Balkans. Only this time it did it openly.”

Balkaneu

President of Montenegro

25 Sep 2020 (approx) 2 5

Aleksandar Drljevic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The opening of the last negotiation chapter was a positive signal and encouragement for us to continue at a more intensive pace towards closing the chapters. The rule of law must remain in the focus of the negotiating structure, because, especially at this stage of negotiations, progress in chapters 23 and 24 will determine overall dynamics of negotiations.”

Montenegro’s Chief Negotiator with European Union

25 Sep 2020 5 2

Milo Djukanovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“Forming a government has yet to begin and well see whether the three-bloc coalition, which won 41 seats, can really achieve such a level of programmatic and political closeness to form a government and take responsibility for exercising executive power in Montenegro. We will respect the electoral will of the citizens and we will fight for our policy equally passionately from the opposition benches.”

President of Montenegro

03 Sep 2020 0 3

Milo Djukanovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The struggle for a majority in parliament is going on to get that plus-one seat, and we will wait for the final results of the State Electoral Commission. The DPS is capable of recognising elections results that are different from what it expected.”

President of Montenegro

31 Aug 2020 2 3

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“Djukanovic should pack his bags now, freedom has come. We call on the minority parties to approach…we cannot build a new Montenegro without them.”

Leader of "For the Future of Montenegro" a pro-Serb opposition coalition and university professor

31 Aug 2020 1 3

Kenneth Morrison

Inserted 3 years ago

“The situation in Montenegro has changed significantly in the past year and the potential for further deterioration exists. The problem is, fundamentally, that the election will not solve any of the problems that have underpinned Montenegro’s long-standing political crisis but may merely bring those problems into sharper focus.”

Professor at De Montfort University and author of the book Nationalism, Identity And Statehood In Post-Yugoslav Montenegro

28 Aug 2020 2 2

Caslav Vesovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The Serbian Orthodox Church is not a religious but a para-political organisation. The church is interfering in the electoral process as it told believers how to vote.”

Official from the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists

23 Aug 2020 2 4

Zdravko Krivokapic

Inserted 3 years ago

“The authorities tried to prevent protest rides and street protests happening again… It is a direct threat to freedom of movement and freedom of religion.”

Leader of "For the Future of Montenegro" a pro-Serb opposition coalition and university professor

23 Aug 2020 2 4

Milo Djukanovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“I have no doubt that very soon we will have a problem in Montenegro and the northern part of the country – we won’t have enough people to cover all the jobs that are being created.”

President of Montenegro

19 Aug 2020 3 3

Jovana Marovic

Inserted 3 years ago

“Progress in the negotiation process depends on the rule of law, but just opening a chapter, although formally a positive signal, does not mean much if there is no closure of chapters and if assessments of the situation in chapters 23 and 24 are continuously bad, which is the case with Montenegro. The reason for that are numerous unresolved affairs, politicized institutions, selective application of the law, extremely bad state of media freedom, conditions for holding elections that do not ensure a fair game and political corruption.”

Executive Director of the Politikon network, Podgorica-based think tank and a member of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG)

07 Aug 2020 4 6

Boris Raonic

Inserted 3 years ago

“With an election campaign close and a social crisis, these tensions could create a very risky atmosphere. One angry head can lead to riots”