WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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SOURCE:ANTENA M -AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
In the Draft Report of the European Parliament (EP), which Antena M has had access to, the Montenegrin authorities are called upon to respect and comply with EU policies and values, and to refrain from any activities that may threaten Montenegro's strategic path towards EU membership, as well as the country's sovereignty.
In this context, they are extremely concerned about the statements of public officials who supported the president of the smaller BiH entity, Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, who undermines the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The EP also regrets that high-ranking parliamentarians from Montenegro participated in the All-Serbian Parliament in Belgrade and thereby expressed support for the declaration adopted on that occasion, which undermines the sovereignty of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
The EP remains seriously concerned about foreign malign influence in Montenegro, attempts at destabilization, hybrid attacks, disinformation campaigns, including attempts to influence political processes and public opinion, by third countries, which discredit the EU and undermine Montenegro's path in the accession process.
Montenegro is encouraged to adopt stronger countermeasures against such activities in cooperation with the EU and NATO, as well as through increased regional cooperation among the Western Balkan countries.
Condemnation of the use of the Church of Serbia for influence in Montenegro
The draft report, by rapporteur Marjan Šarec, also states that religious institutions are being used as a means of foreign influence, and condemns any interference by the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) in this context.
"The importance of building capacity to resist foreign influence through information, disinformation, manipulation and interference is stressed, including through increased monitoring of the media landscape, awareness-raising campaigns and media literacy programmes.
Montenegro is recommended to establish a working group dedicated exclusively to combating hybrid threats.
Amendments to the Law on Citizenship could have long-term consequences
The new amendment expresses concern about the attempt to amend the law on Montenegrin citizenship in the Montenegrin parliament, which could have long-term consequences for the decision-making process in the country, as well as on identity issues, while stressing that any discussion on identity policies must be conducted with the highest degree of sensitivity and avoid further polarization, but rather seek a broader social consensus.
The text also calls on Montenegro to urgently fully align its visa policy with that of the EU, especially when it comes to countries that pose irregular migration or security risks to the EU. Concern is expressed that, contrary to expectations, two countries have been added to the visa-free regime, and that holders of Russian and Belarusian passports continue to benefit from the visa-free regime.
"We recall that the harmonization of visa policy is also foreseen for Montenegro, in the Reform Agenda under the Reform and Growth section."
Agreements such as the one with the UAE must be transparent
In the draft report of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, an amendment by the Coalition of Organizations "Big Beach, Big Lie" was adopted, expressing concern about the agreement that Montenegro signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on construction on the Big Beach in Ulcinj, which has caused sharp criticism from the public, citizens, the Municipality of Ulcinj, and non-governmental organizations and individuals.
"Concerns are expressed about any agreements or projects that circumvent public tenders and rules, transparency obligations and public consultation requirements, as provided for by domestic laws and EU standards. The Montenegrin government is called upon to ensure full respect for the principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making, as well as the rule of law, in all initiatives concerning public infrastructure and development," the draft report states.
"All political actors in Montenegro are encouraged to remain focused on EU integration and the required reforms, emphasizing the need for political stability, commitment and constructive engagement in consensus-building, across party lines, in order to more effectively and quickly achieve the ambitious timeframe that the country has set. The adopted reforms must be effectively and consistently implemented to ensure real progress and full compliance with European legislation.
Shock over the tragedy in Cetinje and concern over its misuse
Particular emphasis is placed on strengthening, functionality and coordination between state institutions in order to achieve political stability and continue substantial progress on key EU reforms, in particular electoral and judicial reforms and the fight against organized crime and corruption.
Various EU working bodies, including the EU Delegation to Montenegro, are urged to work with the Montenegrin authorities to strengthen strategic communication with Montenegrin citizens on the concrete benefits of EU membership, as well as the specific criteria that Montenegro needs to meet in order to comply with EU standards. The need for increased visibility of the EU in the country, as well as EU-funded projects, is emphasized.
"It calls for the expansion of StartCom (a video surveillance platform) monitoring to focus on cross-border disinformation threats in the Western Balkans and their neighbourhood. It also calls on the EC to further strengthen the efforts of the EEAS and the Western Balkans Task Force to increase visibility in local media, work on fact-checking and, in cooperation with civil society organisations, more effectively counter false narratives.
The draft report by rapporteur Marjan Šarec stresses the need to align arms legislation with EU law and international standards, outlining a number of concrete procedures that can be applied for arms control. The report also states that they are shocked by the tragedy in Cetinje, but are also concerned about the misuse of this tragedy to spread disinformation and ethnic polarisation. It calls on Montenegro to step up crisis communication to respond to disinformation and ensure responsible media reporting after tragic incidents.
