MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Moscow regrets the fact that the opposition campsite in Montenegro’s Podgorica was dispersed, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
"The latest events in Podgorica are regrettable. We have repeatedly stated that a stable and successfully developing Montenegro is in Russia’s interests," the ministry said in a statement.
According to the ministry, despite the assurances the Montenegrin leadership receives from the Western states, including this country in the Euro-Atlantic would not lead to its consolidation and flourishing.
"Quite the opposite – there is a clear political and ideological polarization of the society, exacerbation of the socio-economic problems. One gets the impression that the setting for the expedited promotion of Montenegro in NATO at the same time implies suppression of alternative approaches," the statement read.
Goran Danilovic, a member of Montenegro’s opposition Demos party, told Sputnik Serbia on Tuesday that the decision on Montenegro accepting a membership invitation from NATO should not be made without holding a national referendum.
Russia has expressed concern over NATO’s growing military presence in Eastern Europe, warning that it could be a threat to regional security.
