Montenegro still unhappy with Serbia's strategy

Montenegro remains dissatisfied with Belgrade's attitude toward the question of status of Serbs in Montenegro. This comes even after the Serbian government amended its Strategy on the Diaspora by dropping the provision that called for a constituent nation status for Serbs in Montenegro, Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic said. Montenegro still unhappy with Serbia's strategy Addressing the national parliament on Tuesday, Luksic said that the disputed part of the strategy declaring insistence on giving Serbs in Montenegro constituent nation status was indeed changed pursuant to Podgorica's objections, but that the strategy retains elements "that speak about how this target should be achieved," Beta news agency reported. "Therefore, the position of the Montenegrin government remains unchanged even after the amendment of the strategy and we will continue our communication with the Serbian government in this context," he added. The Serbian government adopted its strategy on relations with Serbs in the region on January 21. The original text said that Serbia should "set as a target the granting of constituent nation status to Serbs in Montenegro, which means that Serbs must enjoy full national rights pending the attainment of this important target." After a strong reaction from Podgorica, which took the view that Serbia was interfering in Montenegro's internal affairs, the Serbian government dropped this paragraph from the strategy at a session earlier in March. Luksic said on Tuesday that Belgrade's decision to amend the strategy showed that the Serbian authorities realized that they had "gone too far in some of their aspirations." Apart from Montenegro, the strategy originally spoke of efforts for the attainment of constituent nation status also for Serbs in Croatia. After sharp criticism from Zagreb, this paragraph, too, was dropped.

Montenegro still unhappy with Serbia's strategy

Addressing the national parliament on Tuesday, Lukšić said that the disputed part of the strategy declaring insistence on giving Serbs in Montenegro constituent nation status was indeed changed pursuant to Podgorica's objections, but that the strategy retains elements "that speak about how this target should be achieved," Beta news agency reported.

"Therefore, the position of the Montenegrin government remains unchanged even after the amendment of the strategy and we will continue our communication with the Serbian government in this context," he added.

The Serbian government adopted its strategy on relations with Serbs in the region on January 21. The original text said that Serbia should "set as a target the granting of constituent nation status to Serbs in Montenegro, which means that Serbs must enjoy full national rights pending the attainment of this important target."

After a strong reaction from Podgorica, which took the view that Serbia was interfering in Montenegro's internal affairs, the Serbian government dropped this paragraph from the strategy at a session earlier in March.

Lukšić said on Tuesday that Belgrade's decision to amend the strategy showed that the Serbian authorities realized that they had "gone too far in some of their aspirations."

Apart from Montenegro, the strategy originally spoke of efforts for the attainment of constituent nation status also for Serbs in Croatia. After sharp criticism from Zagreb, this paragraph, too, was dropped.