Russian propaganda and economic warfare against Montenegro

Russian media published articles in which the local tourist says to attack Montenegro that would not have experienced trouble.

Russian Federation banned from 26 April import Montenegrin wines from Podgorica "plantations". It was announced that the Agency for Quality Control found that "in the Montenegrin wine contains pesticides and plasticizers." It is the latest move of Russia during the intense propaganda of economic war that this country is against Montenegro.

Wines are the most famous Montenegrin product is exported to the Russian Federation. Russia has banned imports from Montenegro, meat, fish, seafood, cheeses, fruits and vegetables after the accession of Montenegro sanctions which Russia introduced European Union. This time, when it comes to several months Russian pressure on Montenegro, in wine is truth instead of the - policy. "The statement of the Russian agencies are reported gross untruths. 'Plantations' its products exported to 42 countries around the world and so far we have not had any problem, "he told reporters in Milan Milutinovic, director of exports" Plantation ".

Reacted and Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic: "Behind the official decision of Moscow to ban the import of Montenegrin wine stands the current political situation in Montenegro, on the eve of the Assembly in Cetinje on which to pass the law on membership in NATO countries. It is a political decision that will not stop us to go the way we planned. " In two days it was proved. On Friday (28 April), the parliament in Cetinje voted to Montenegro's membership in NATO.

Contributions on tourism

Russian media every now and then publish the annex where the local tourist says to attack Montenegro that would not have experienced trouble. From the Kremlin has repeatedly arrived ultimate warning Montenegro to think carefully whether to join the Alliance. And the Russian Duma adopted a statement which opposes Montenegro's entry into NATO, warning that it could have negative tendencies in the field of tourism, investment and economic cooperation between Russia and Montenegro. In mid-April, spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova accused Montenegro to conduct anti-Russian hysteria and hostile attitude towards Russians in Montenegro.

"In Montenegro, there are anti-Russian hysteria for joining NATO, worsening relations between the two countries and the accession of Montenegro sanctions against Russia. We do not exclude the possibility of provocation, arrests for suspicious reasons or extradited to third countries, "said Zakharov. She accused the Montenegrin political leaders that are "guilty of such treatment" because they want to curry favor with the West.

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that in Montenegro "relationship with the Russian businessmen and citizens negative" and urged Russians to be cautious when visiting Montenegro.

Reaction Montenegro

This was immediately reacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro. Announced that it resolutely rejects the unfounded accusations of "antiruskoj hysteria" in Montenegro and argues that it is a mere manipulation and below the special media war that Moscow waged against Montenegro, with well-known motif of obstruction of accession of Montenegro to NATO.

"There were no reports that any Russian businessman or tourists experienced discomfort in Montenegro, nor in our country there is any kind of hostility towards the Russian people. In it can to persuade thousands of Russian citizens and to this day live in our country. Instead of false accusations against the Montenegrin authorities, and we urge this time Russia of all ambiguities and misunderstandings resolve in direct and open talks that official Moscow persistently avoided ", said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro.

The official Moscow has announced that all decisions about the future of Montenegro "independent and sovereign make the Government and the Assembly, in accordance with the Constitution, whether we like it or not Moscow." The tourism workers in Montenegro say that it is not excluded that Russia will decide that their citizens do not issue visas for Montenegro and to prohibit travel. Well, according to their statements, the interest of Russian tourists to holiday in Montenegro does not decrease. A third of tourists who last summer visited Montenegro were from Russia. There were almost 300,000.

Zarko Radulovic, president of the Montenegrin Tourism Organization, on the story of Anti-Russian sentiment in Montenegro looks even optimistic.

"Of course, you'd better not these anti-propaganda in Russia, but when it is already there, then it should be said that the beatings always has two ends. One is that this move towards Montenegro and none of it's true. However, on the other hand I am convinced that now there is no child in Russia who does not know for Montenegro. So thanks to those who attack us, because they made good propaganda step towards knowing what and where is Montenegro. I followed, everything became interesting and well-known international media, they are transferred to Montenegro is under pressure from Russia, noting that we are one of the most beautiful countries in the Balkans. Thus, in Russia we have made a good marketing step forward ", said Radulovic.

Contributions on tourism

And what is a media war against Montenegro evidenced by these few examples. After the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in late March that Montenegro joining NATO "sacrifice" their economic relations with Russia, on Russian state television broadcast the stories whose message is that the Russians do not need to visit Montenegro. In footage broadcast on the eve of the ratification of accession to the military alliance in the US Senate, state TV Russia stated: "Russian business is leaving the country, tourism is regressing, a liberated place very quickly takes up crime. We're losing Montenegro".

The reportage TV star, newsletters Russian Ministry of Defense, on March 25 in the report states the following: "There is no longer safe. This is evident from the news - somewhere shoot monuments bombs, arresting Russians unclear why, the opposition threatens mass protests". Radulovic argues that this propaganda will not negatively affect Russian citizens who have bought real estate in Montenegro.

"They have become our fellow citizens who more than we harrows Montenegro of these untruths that are sold every day. And when Montenegro is in question here are, not only from Russia, but from anywhere always welcome all those who come here with good intentions. Tourists in each country are coming to spend money and to rest. And we will welcome them with open arms, regardless of where they come from, not because of money, and Russian tourists in particular and due to the long friendly relations between Montenegro and Russia. With the Russian people and Russia can not we posovađati politicians, "said Radulovic.

It is estimated that in Montenegro live around 20 000 Russians and to have bought about 70,000 different properties. And Russian Tourism Organization denied the allegations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that is in Montenegro unpleasant situation for the Russians and that needs to beware of possible provocation. In March, it announced that the pre-sale arrangements for Montenegro increased two to three times compared to last year.

And one of the leading Russian tourist portal Tourd announced that Russian tourists in Montenegro have no reason to fear. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srdjan Darmanović convinced that the Russian tourists continue to come to Montenegro and that disagreements between the two countries about NATO will seriously affect the economic cooperation.

'The processes'

At the beginning of April in Podgorica, he was a US senator John McCain, during his official visit to Montenegro. And he referred to the frequent criticism of Russia on account of Montenegro. "Behavior of Russia in the region and the world is unacceptable," said McCain. Blagoje Grahovac, an analyst of geopolitics from Podgorica, like us commented criticism from Russian official address.

"All sharper messages from Russia Montenegro indication that Russia does not renounce its imperial policy. These messages are and blackmail Montenegro to prevent her entry into NATO, but also countries which are deliberating whether to support Montenegro's path to NATO. Blackmail has been a geopolitical asset. But all this is official Moscow in vain, because the integration of Montenegro into NATO unstoppable process. Why is the Russian policy now so conspicuously active? Not because of Montenegro. She finished with Montenegro but this is a warning to Serbia that it does not go that way. And she will go because civic consciousness Serbia wants it, "said Grahovac.

Grahovac said that in geopolitical relations of the Russian Federation to the Balkans should not only observe the policy and interests of the Russian Federation. We should observe and political structures in the Balkans that also have interests that intriguing with this policy.

"Montenegro is in all this the Divided. There are victims of Russian policy, but also the victims of certain political circles in Montenegro with this policy intriguing decades. They have a loud story of Europe and European integration, and below that is carried out occupation of natural and economic resources of Montenegro by Russian tycoons. Therefore, all of this should be seen bilaterally. And as imperial aim of Russian policy and as interest in certain political circles in our region. But it will not go long. Evrointergracija process of the Western Balkans is unstoppable, "says Grahovac.

• 1 May, 2017
• 1224 views