President Vucic, warned by his own secret services not to go to the summit in Montenegro. Nicușor Dan is also expected
Belgrade's secret services are citing threats to the security of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic ahead of the summit in Montenegro, which will be attended by dozens of leaders, including President Nicušor Dan, according to Reuters.
Aleksandar Vucic's move to Tivat represents a high security risk, according to an official statement from the Security and Intelligence Agency of Serbia (BIA), which claims “the hostile activities of foreign secret services and the presence of a criminal clan there.”
The President of the Parliament, Ana Brnabic, however, stated that Vucic intends to go to Montenegro despite the warning, and will have several important meetings there.
The BIA warning was issued after Podgorica media reported a border security incident. More specifically, Montenegro sent back, on Wednesday, a plane with 87 men from Serbia that was supposed to land in Tivat.
Podgorica authorities said they posed a security threat ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit. In addition, the Vijesti news portal stated that the police confiscated two buses that were supposed to transport this group.
In response, Serbia introduced stricter border control with Montenegro on Wednesday evening. This measure created long queues at border crossing points, reported Serbian television station N1 TV.
Relations between Serbia and Montenegro are strained because of Podgorica's ties to Kosovo, which Serbia does not recognize. Another reason is Belgrade's influence on internal political issues through the church and political parties affiliated with Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party, Reuters notes.
Montenegro, a NATO member country, gained its independence in 2006, following the dissolution of its union with Serbia. Unlike Belgrade, Podgorica introduced sanctions against Russia, aligning its foreign policy with that of the European Union.
Who attends the summit
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are due to arrive in the coastal town of Tivat on Friday.
President Nicusor Dan will also participate in the summit that gathers the heads of state or government from the 27 EU member states, according to the agenda published by the Presidential Administration.
The European leaders will be joined by the representatives of the 6 partners from the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the progress made with a view to joining the European Union. The European Union – Western Balkans Summit is a meeting of strategic importance, through which the leaders of the EU and those of the partner states collaborate directly to accelerate the process of European integration and regional development.
