"Putin lost in Montenegro, will try to cause more problems"

U.S. Analyst University Daniel Serwer says there is strong support for Montenegro's accession to NATO and the EU in the wake of the elections in that country.
Source: B92, RTCG Tuesday, October 18, 2016 | 10:53

(Tanjug, file)

In a statement for Voice of America, carried by Montenegro's state broadcaster RTCG, Serwer, who is a professor at the Johns Hopkins University, said that "it appears NATO has won" and that the victory was Djukanovic's, although perhaps not as convincing as the Montenegrin prime minister and DPS leader would have liked.
He added that Djukanovic will first have the chance to form a government "and will need a coalition, for which there are many options."

Serwer thinks that a government made up of the DPS and minority parties would be stable.

"I don't see why it wouldn't be the case. It seems to me that most minorities in Montenegro not only accept Djukanovic but are also happy with the idea of Montenegro becoming a member of NATO, which they see as a guarantee of a certain level of decent treatment because the NATO club is a democracy that treats their minorities in the right way," Serwer has been quoted as saying.

He noted, however, that there was still opposition to Euro-Atlantic integration in Montenegro.

"The opposition is largely encouraged by the Russians, who are trying to prevent the accession of Montenegro to NATO and at the same time warn Serbia against joining. However, they lost. This is a clear and unequivocal loss of Vladimir Putin, but I expect that he will continue trying to cause problems in Montenegro," said Serwer.

He also thinks that Washington will be largely satisfied with what happened.

"I hope the ratification of the Protocol on the Accession of Montenegro to NATO will continue," Serwer said, adding that he was aware that Montenegro wants it to be done when the U.S. Congress meets after the elections, and before the new composition gathers.

"I doubt it is possible, but if it is, I would like it to happen," concluded the professor.