"Kosovo recognition, or serious damage"

Montenegro recognized Kosovo because it would have suffered great damage otherwise, according to the country's president. In an interview for Belgrade daily Politika ahead of his visit to Serbia, Filip Vujanovic said that he believed the "existing problems would not jeopardize Montenegro's and Serbia's common interest for cooperation, friendship and closeness". "Kosovo recognition, or serious damage" Montenegro is still without an ambassador here, after its top diplomatic envoy was ordered out of Serbia last fall in the wake of Podgorica's recognition of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence. "Official Podgorica has had an extremely patient and responsible attitude toward Kosovo's independence and understands the sensitivity of this issue for Serbia," said Vujanovic. However, he continued, Montenegro recognized Kosovo because it had to take care of its own interests. "It could not be expected that Montenegro would get a positive response to its EU candidate status application if it chose to ignore that fact that, at that time, 21 out of 27 EU members had recognized Kosovo," Vujanovic told the daily. "Finally, our recognition came eight months after the declaration of Kosovo's independence and after 48 countries had recognized that independence. In other words, we recognized Kosovo when it was clear that otherwise we would suffer serious damage to our integration and overall interests." As for Montenegro's Serbs, this country's president said he "does not see them as aliens", and added that the same went for Montenegrins in Serbia. The dual citizenship issue demands the two sides to compromise, Vujanovic continued. "I am convinced that even with conceptually completely different approaches by the two countries, this question will be resolved, and without making changes to the citizenship laws of Montenegro and Serbia. That is certainly in the citizens' interest," stated Vujanovic. The Montenegrin president is due in Belgrade on Monday where he will meet his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadic and other officials. It will be his second official trip to Serbia since Montenegro renewed its statehood in 2006. This time, however, the visit comes with the diplomatic relations between the two countries in effect broken off over Kosovo.

"Kosovo recognition, or serious damage"

Montenegro is still without an ambassador here, after its top diplomatic envoy was ordered out of Serbia last fall in the wake of Podgorica's recognition of the Kosovo Albanian unilateral declaration of independence.

"Official Podgorica has had an extremely patient and responsible attitude toward Kosovo's independence and understands the sensitivity of this issue for Serbia," said Vujanović.

However, he continued, Montenegro recognized Kosovo because it had to take care of its own interests.

"It could not be expected that Montenegro would get a positive response to its EU candidate status application if it chose to ignore that fact that, at that time, 21 out of 27 EU members had recognized Kosovo," Vujanović told the daily.

"Finally, our recognition came eight months after the declaration of Kosovo's independence and after 48 countries had recognized that independence. In other words, we recognized Kosovo when it was clear that otherwise we would suffer serious damage to our integration and overall interests."

As for Montenegro's Serbs, this country's president said he "does not see them as aliens", and added that the same went for Montenegrins in Serbia.

The dual citizenship issue demands the two sides to compromise, Vujanović continued.

"I am convinced that even with conceptually completely different approaches by the two countries, this question will be resolved, and without making changes to the citizenship laws of Montenegro and Serbia. That is certainly in the citizens' interest," stated Vujanović.

The Montenegrin president is due in Belgrade on Monday where he will meet his Serbian counterpart Boris Tadić and other officials.

It will be his second official trip to Serbia since Montenegro renewed its statehood in 2006. This time, however, the visit comes with the diplomatic relations between the two countries in effect broken off over Kosovo.