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Montenegro

 Montenegro flag

(formerly part of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)

Last reviewed: 26 January 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with International Community

After the removal of Milosevic in 2000, the FRY authorities made great efforts to rebuild bridges with the international community. FRY rejoined the United Nations, and joined various other international organisations, including the IMF, OSCE and the Council of Europe. In October 2005, Serbia and Montenegro began negotiations with the EU for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), the first step in the process of EU integration. (Please see “Relations with the EU” section below for more on the status of Montenegro’s SAA negotiations.)

The UK government believes that Montenegro's future lies in the EU and NATO. Close relations with her neighbours and the rest of the international community are also important. We look forward to Montenegro's membership in further European and international organisations, once the necessary requirements and conditions are met.

Relations with NATO

UK and NATO have shown commitment to working with Montenegro on defence reform. At the NATO Riga Summit on 29 November 2006, Montenegro was invited to join Partnership for Peace (PfP). This programme aims to promote regional stability by supporting defence reform and defence diplomacy activities between NATO Allies and PfP members. At the NATO Summit in Bucharest in April 2008, following Montenegro's decisions to develop an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, Montenegro was invited to progress to the next step towards membership to begin an Intensified Dialogue (ID) with NATO on the full range of political, military, financial, and security issues relating to their Euro Atlantic aspirations. We hope ID will encourage and facilitate continued progress on defence reform.

Relations with the European Union

The EU formally took the decision to open Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) negotiations with Serbia and Montenegro at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 3 October 2005 and the ceremonial opening of negotiations took place on 10 October. Official and technical rounds of negotiations follow every couple of months. The decision followed a positive Feasibility Study in April 2005 – a Commission led evaluation report establishing whether a country is ready to negotiate a SAA with the EU. The EU made clear that the 'pace and conclusion' of SAA talks would depend on 'progress in developing legislative framework and administrative capacity, the effective implementation of the constitutional charter, and full co-operation with the ICTY'.

On 3 May 2006 EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn suspended SAA negotiation talks following an assessment by ICTY Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte that Belgrade was not co-operating fully with the Tribunal, particularly in respect of the high profile fugitive indictee Ratko Mladic. The decision followed several warnings from the EU earlier in the year. However, following independence and a positive report from the ICTY on Montenegro’s co-operation, SAA talks were restarted on 26 September 2006. Montenegro completed their SAA negotiations on 1 December 2006, and after consultations with EU Member States, initialled the text of the Agreement in Podgorica in March 2007. The SAA was signed at the GAERC in Luxembourg on 15 October. In parallel an Interim Agreement on trade and trade related issues, was signed enabling the trade-related provisions of the SAA to come into force on 1 January 2008. The signing of Montenegro’s SAA brings them one step closer to the EU, by establishing a far-reaching contractual relationship.On 15 December 2008 Prime Minister of Montenegro presented a formal application for EU membership to the President of the European Council. This application for membership will be submitted to the Council, which decides whether to initiate the procedure laid down in the Treaty to ask the Commission to provide its opinion on the application. In light of the Commission’s recommendation the Council will unanimously decide whether to grant candidate country status to the applicant country. The ‘opinion’ of the Commission assesses the applicant’s fulfilment of the criteria for accession, including its ability to assume the obligations of membership. This means a thorough analysis of the state of play in EU related reforms. A country’s satisfactory track record in implementing its obligations under the SAA (including the trade related provisions) is an essential element for the EU to consider any membership application.

The Europa website has further information on EU relations with Montenegro:

EU Enlargement - Montenegro

Council of Europe

The Council of Europe was set up in 1949 and works to promote democracy and human rights throughout its member states. Serbia and Montenegro became the 45th member on 3 April 2003, having satisfied the membership condition of adopting the Constitutional Charter. Following the break-up of the State Union, Serbia inherited this membership of the Council of Europe, and after applying for her own membership in June 2006, Montenegro became a member on 11 May 2007. Montenegro has since ratified the European Convention on Human Rights and is working with the Council to promote and protect human rights and the rule of law.

Council of Europe

ICTY

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was established in 1993 by the United Nations and is situated in The Hague in The Netherlands. It was set up through UN Security Council Resolution 827. The objectives of the Tribunal are: to bring to justice those allegedly responsible for violations of international humanitarian law; to render justice to the victims of these crimes; to deter further crimes; and to contribute to the restoration of peace by promoting reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia. All members of the United Nations are legally obliged to co-operate with the ICTY.

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) passed a Law on Co-operation with the ICTY in April 2002 which provided a framework for co-operation with ICTY. This included responsibility to transfer people indicted for war crimes by ICTY to The Hague, and granting ICTY full access to archives and witnesses in Serbia and Montenegro. The Law was amended in April 2003 by the Serbia and Montenegro Government to state that all indictees, regardless of their indictment date, should be extradited to The Hague. The law was also amended so that witnesses testifying in The Hague are no longer obliged to keep official state and military secrets.

On 7 June 2007 Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte told the UN Security Council that “ICTY has maintained a positive relationship with Montenegro for over a year”. Continued co-operation with the ICTY will remain a key international obligation as Montenegro moves towards the EU and NATO.

United Nations - ICTY

Domestic War Crimes Trials

On 27 July 2006, Montenegro's Chief State Prosecutor Vesna Medenica and her Croatian counterpart, Mladen Bajic, signed an Agreement on joint efforts to prosecute suspects who are believed to have committed crimes against humanity, including genocide. Local trials of war criminals in Montenegro have begun with one trial completed and four others ongoing.

Under the agreement, the Montenegrin state prosecution is to file charges against its own citizens who have been accused of committing war crimes in Croatia and are inaccessible to the Croatian judiciary. This is because in both Montenegro and Croatia, citizens cannot be legally extradited to foreign countries. The Croatian state prosecution was obliged to inform the Montenegrin Supreme State Prosecutor about all war crimes cases within 30 days of the Agreement being signed. These war crimes primarily relate to atrocities committed in Dubrovnik during the then Yugoslav Army's military operations in southern Croatia in the wake of the break up of the former Yugoslav federation in the early 1990s.

Relations with Neighbours

Montenegro's relations with her neighbours are complicated by the legacy of the 1990’s. In recent years, regional relations have continued to improve. In December 2002, SaM and Croatia signed an interim agreement over the much-disputed Prevlaka Peninsula, a demilitarised zone which had been under UN control since 1992. In November 2003 during a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, SaM President Svetozar Marovic publicly apologised 'for any evil or disaster that any one from Serbia and Montenegro caused to anyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina'. He had previously made a similar apology during his September visit to Zagreb 'for all the evils any citizen of Serbia and Montenegro has committed against any citizen of Croatia'. Croatian President Stjepan Mesic made a historic visit to Belgrade in September 2003. In July 2005, Montenegro paid compensation to Croatia for damage to cattle during the war. Since independence, Montenegro has signed a co-operation agreement with Croatia on the prosecution of suspected war criminals.

On Monday 26 June 2006 President Tadic of Serbia was the first Head of State to officially visit Montenegro following the declaration of independence (this followed an earlier visit that he had made to Montenegro on 27 May). Issues related to the separation process of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro have been progressing peacefully.

On 9 October 2008 the Government of Montenegro took the decision to formally recognise Kosovo following its declaration of independence in February 2008. In response Serbia expelled the Montenegrin Ambassador to Belgrade. In Montenegro the pro-Serbian opposition parties organised a rally against independence of Kosovo with speakers calling on the Government to withdraw the decision on recognition of Kosovo. Since then both Serbia and Montenegro have been working to set relations back on track.

Montenegro's Relations with the UK

The UK formally recognised the Republic of Montenegro as an independent sovereign state and established diplomatic relations on 13 June 2006. We announced our intention to upgrade the British Office in Podgorica to an Embassy as soon as practicable. In November 2007 Mr Kevin Lyne replaced Mr John Dyson MVO who had been Her Majesty's first resident Ambassador to Montenegro since November 2006. The British Embassy in Montenegro moved to new premises in November 2008, co-located with the British Council in a converted  two-storey villa for new offices and Residence.

Montenegro representation in the UK

The Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro in London became the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia on 5 June 2006. The Embassy of the Republic of Montenegro opened in September 2007. The Montenegrin Ambassador to the UK is His Excellency Dr Dragiša Burzan.

Cultural Relations

During his visit to Belgrade in November 2002, the Foreign Secretary signed a Cultural Agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on Co-operation in the Fields of Education, Science, Culture and Sport. The purpose of the agreement is to strengthen cultural relations and promote exchanges in the fields mentioned above, through the British Council.

The British Embassy in Belgrade, together with the British Council, has done much to promote the United Kingdom in Montenegro as well as in Serbia. For example a 'British Day' event was held in Kotor in November 2003, and coincided with a visit to the town by the British Naval Ship HMS Somerset. A similar event, which helped establish links with local businessmen, officials and students, was held in Niksic in November 2002.

The British Council

The British Council has been operating in Podgorica, Montenegro since 1993. This small office runs projects in the areas of education, arts and cultural heritage, and administers the Cambridge and IELTS exams, Chevening scholarships, aiming at a wide audience from young people to decision makers. It has a varied programme of educational and cultural events.

The British Council's priorities are mutual promotion of the British and Montenegrin culture and education and development of Montenegrin education system and English language learning. Its key partners are the Ministry of Culture and the Media and Ministry of Education and Science as well as referent local institutions and organisations. For further details please refer to the British Council bilingual website.

British Council bilingual

Recent Visits

Inward

  • 2-3 June 2008 – Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic visited London to attendan EBRD Montenegro Investment Forum to promote the Bar-Boljare Highwayproject. He also had meetings with the Foreign Secretary and the Dukeof York.
  • 11-13 March 2008 – President of Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Ranko Krivokapic visited the UK to participate in British Council 'Living Together' summit. He had meetings with the Minister for Europe, The Speaker of the House of Commons, The Chief Whip, and the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

  • 1-2 March 2007 - Montenegrin Foreign Minister, Milan Rocen, became the first Montenegrin Minister to visit the UK since independence in June 2006. During his visit, Mr Rocen met: the Minister for Europe, Geoff Hoon; the Minister for the Armed Forces, Adam Ingram; the Lord Mayor of London; and, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mike Gapes.

  • 19-24 June 2005 – Montenegrin Minister of Culture and Media, Vesna Kilibarda visited the UK in order to strengthen the co-operation between Montenegro and the UK through the British Council. She met the Minister for Culture.
  • 23 March 2005 – Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic visited the UK for an audience with Her Majesty The Queen.
  • 17-19 January 2005 – Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic visited the UK as a Guest of Government. His delegation included SaM Foreign Minister, Vuk Draskovic; SaM Defence Minister, Prvoslav Davinic; and SaM International Economic Relations Minister, Predrag Ivanovic. The delegation met with the Prime Minister; the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw; the Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon; Minister for Europe, Dr Denis MacShane; Minister for State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Douglas Alexander; and Minister for Defence Procurement, the Lord Bach. The delegation travelled to Edinburgh and met with the First Minister and the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, George Reid.
  • 15-19 March 2004 – a delegation from the Serbia and Montenegro Inter Parliamentary Union, led by the then acting SaM Parliamentary Speaker, Milorad Drljevic, visited Belfast and London. The delegation met Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Jane Kennedy, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development, Gareth Thomas and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, Caroline Flint
  • 23 May 2001 – Montenegro President Milo Djukanovic met Foreign Secretary Robin Cook in London.
  • 25 January 2000 – Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic met the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Cook in London.

Outward

  • 8 November 2006, the Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon visited Podgorica and met with the President, Filip Vujanovic, the Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, the Foreign Minister, Miodrag Vlahovic, as well as other members of the Government and opposition.
  • 15 September 2005 – Minister for Europe Douglas Alexander visited Belgrade as part of a tour of the region. In Belgrade he met SaM President Svetozar Marovic, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian Interior Minister Dragan Jocic and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus.
  • 30 November – 1 December 2004, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon visited Belgrade. He met with SaM President Svetozar Marovic, SaM Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, SaM Defence Minister Prvoslav Davinic, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, and Serbian President Boris Tadic.
  • 25 October 2004, Minister for Europe Dr Denis MacShane visited Belgrade, where he met with Boris Tadic, Serbian President; Vuk Draskovic, SaM Foreign Minister; Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Prime Minister; and Svetozar Marovic, SaM President.
  • 21-22 April 2004, Minister for Europe Dr Denis MacShane met SaM President, Svetozar Marovic; SaM Foreign Minister, Vuk Draskovic; and SaM Defence Minister, Prvoslav Davinic on a visit to Belgrade. He also held meetings with Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica; Deputy Prime Minister, Miroljub Labus. Dr MacShane visited Belgrade's 17th Century Bajrakli Mosque, which was badly damaged by extremists in March reacting to the inter-ethnic violence in Kosovo.
  • 25 April 2001 – Foreign Secretary Robin Cook visited Podgorica and met Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Prime Minister Vujanovic and Federal Prime Minister Zizic.

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