Kosovo issue remains sticking point in Serbia-Montenegro relations: survey

1 year ago 55

Relations between Serbia and Montenegro could be improved, according to a recent survey, which also found that the two countries disagree widely on the issue of Kosovo’s independence.

This is according to research recently conducted by the Center for Civic Education in cooperation with the Regional Academy for the Development of Democracy, with the support of the Swiss Embassy in Belgrade.

Serbians and Montenegrins expressed for relations between the two countries to be better than they are, Daliborka Uljarević, executive director of the Center for Civic Education, said about the survey’s findings.

On Montenegro’s independence, respondents from both countries said it is final and unquestionable.

Balša Božović, president of the Regional Academy for the Development of Democracy, says that he was positively surprised that the paternalistic narrative from the regime media of Serbia towards Montenegro was not fully received by the citizens of Serbia.

Meanwhile, the biggest sticking point between respondents from the two countries was the independence of Kosovo, with the issue not only related to the national or political affiliation of the respondents, said Uljarević.

While Serbs and people linked to Serbian President Aleksander Vučić in Montenegro view it as a problem, it is not a stumbling block for Montenegro, the survey also found.

This is a significant issue, and the citizens of Montenegro know that Kosovo is the biggest problem for Serbia, Božović added.

“But the survey also showed that most Montenegrin citizens recognise Kosovo’s independence. On the one hand, they know that this recognition is a problem in relations with Serbia, but also that they retain their sovereign right for Montenegro to have its relationship with Kosovo. And Serbia should respect that,” he believes.

According to an almost identical public opinion survey, 18% of respondents from each country said their respective countries should be in the EU.

Relations between Serbia and Montenegro are rated as “neither good nor bad” (around 30%), with Serbia showing more scepticism and hostility towards the EU, and in particular towards NATO, than Montenegro.

Montenegro’s government is at the behest of the official Belgrade, said Uljarević, noting that this raises doubts about its resistance to those influences from that centre that are not in the interest of the state of Montenegro.

“There are already two such governments behind us, and the Government of Dritan Abazović was particularly harmful in that aspect, as stated in the latest Report of the European Commission and the Resolution of the European Parliament,” she added.

“Those relations should be based on the appreciation of the fact that these are two independent and sovereign states that should have close relations, but without a paternalistic approach from Belgrade or a servile view from Podgorica. As things stand now, I appreciate that those relations will not be placed in those frameworks. Therefore, there will be no substantial and sustainable improvement,” she concluded in an interview with Euractiv.

Political commentator Jakša Šćekić told Euractiv that the new government in Montenegro would improve relations between the two countries, but not as much as Serbian nationalists would like because they want Montenegro to leave the NATO pact, recognise Kosovo and join Serbia.

(Milena Antonijević/EURACTIV.rs)