Kosovo online

Former Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazović, stated to Euractiv that voting against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe is “impossible during his mandate,” and he urged the EU to adopt a more concrete approach in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

According to the Brussels Portal, even though Montenegro gained independence from its union with Serbia in 2006, it maintains strong ties with Belgrade. Meanwhile, there are over 30,000 Albanians in Montenegro who advocate for Kosovo’s independence, opposing the stance of Belgrade and its affiliates.

When asked about the current government’s actions, Abazović remarked that he had consistently supported Kosovo during his tenure, but now faces a “new reality.”

The new Prime Minister, Milojko Spajic, a former Serbian citizen, is keen on fostering closer relations between Montenegro and Serbia, a delicate issue as Montenegro navigates the divide between “independence” and those identifying as Serbs.

Nonetheless, Abazović emphasized that Montenegro does not intend to revoke its recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

– It would have been impossible to vote against Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe during my term; we were very clear about our foreign policy. Our foreign policy was completely aligned with that of the European Union,” he stated.

Regarding the EU’s role in the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, Abazović called for a more robust involvement from Brussels.

– The EU needs to be more explicit. If we continue with this vague approach, we will be discussing the same issues 10 or 20 years from now. This is a disaster as we have already wasted 20 years,” he noted.

He pointed out that both sides are eager for an agreement, yet finding common ground remains challenging.

– Kosovo and Serbia are looking for a final agreement and want to demonstrate that we are no longer a conflict zone but a region of understanding; however, the process is not going to be easy,” stressed the former Montenegrin prime minister.