EPA / Boris Pejović

The relationship between Serbia and Montenegro has significantly improved since the change of government in 2020, especially during the attacks on the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, as stated by Andrija Mandić, the President of the Montenegrin Parliament.

He also highlighted that the Census results indicate that most citizens of Montenegro speak Serbian, and he is advocating for the Assembly to initiate the process to declare Serbian as an official language.

When asked about his pride in Montenegro, he noted his pride in the fact that the long-standing belief that Serbs could not hold positions in the Montenegrin parliament has been challenged.

– Equally important is that we have begun a reconciliation process, which has yielded significant results towards Montenegro’s European aspirations – he emphasized.

He mentioned that fostering the best possible relations with Serbia and other regional countries is paramount and expressed hope that the first official parliamentary visit between Serbia and Montenegro would soon take place, reflecting the quality of their relations.

Discussing the priorities for improving relations between the two nations, as well as differing state policies regarding Kosovo and NATO membership, Mandić said the priority is to enhance the lives of citizens in both Montenegro and Serbia, which he believes can be achieved through economic strengthening.

– There are several projects of mutual interest for our countries, including the construction of the Belgrade-Bar highway and the reconstruction of the railway along the same route. Besides these major infrastructure initiatives, enhancing cooperation in the energy sector and tourism is also a top priority – he stressed.