"Montenegro's decision, decision of an authoritarian state"

"Montenegro's decision, decision of an authoritarian state"

The Serb intellectuals, that have allegedly been forbidden from entry, were to speak at a celebration of the anniversary of the Podgorica Assembly, marking 100 years since the victory in the First World War, as well as the joining of Montenegro to the Kingdom of Serbia and the unification of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, on December 1, 1918.

The event is to be held in an Orthodox church in Podgorica.

"This decision is a picture of the contemporary Montenegro, an authoritarian state. We received the information from some honorable people from the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro. It was just an excuse for these people to be mistreated," said Cedomir Antic.

Aleksandar Rakovic pointed out that, based on that list, they would have been be stopped at the airport.

"They would stop me at the airport, they would keep me hostage. When I was supposed to buy a ticket, we found out that we were on a blacklist. This is what happens when criminals get a state," Rakovic said.

He pointed out that the problem began when Montenegro started to the path of changing its own identity.

"The problem starts at the moment when the leaders of Montenegro moved to change their own identity. They are moving to strike at those in the Serbdom, and we are constantly warning about what is happening in Montenegro," Rakovic added.

In his reaction on Friday, Matija Beckovic said he found it "very impressing" that a poet such as himself could endanger the safety of a NATO member.

After the media reported about the ban, the Montenegrin government issued a statement saying the decision was "protecting stability and security from those who are not well-meaning."