The Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandic, has said that the vote of this country's Foreign Minister on the issue of Kosovo in the Council of Europe constitutes a "direct challenge to the governing coalition agreement."
In an article in social networks, the leader of the Serbian New Democracy party has said that Minister Ervin Ibrahimović's support for Kosovo is a violation of the principles established in the coalition in Montenegro.
A day earlier, Ibrahimović announced that at the meeting of the Council of Ministers he supported Kosovo's accession to the Council of Europe. But according to Mandić, the coalition has agreed "to work together on the realization of foreign policy priorities - Montenegro's accession to the EU" and "not on the fulfillment of the foreign political ambitions of Kosovo Albanians."
Mandic added that such decisions require a decision within the Government. He said that this vote threatens relations with Serbia and Montenegro's path towards the EU. According to him, the Government of Montenegro must clearly state its position on the vote.
Mandic's stance has prompted reaction of the former Foreign Minister of Montenegro, Miodrag VlahovicHe reminded Mandic that Montenegro recognizes Kosovo as a state and the countries have diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.
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"Kosovo is a friendly country. Voting for Kosovo's admission to the Council of Europe is the most appropriate decision – the most logical, the most normal and the most profitable – for that country and for the entire region," he said.
Vlahovic said that it is meaningless for politicians favored by Russia and servants of Serbia to “lead Montenegro towards the EU.” He said that Mandic and such politicians only aim to Serbify Montenegro and return it to the Serbian-Russian world.
