Montenegro to expel Russian diplomat over diplomatic norms’ violation

Europe, News August 13, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Montenegro’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to expel a Russian diplomat over “violations of diplomatic norms”.

The former Yugoslav republic and Balkan nation announced its move through Twitter without specifying the name or any other details about the diplomat to be expelled.

This is not the first time that Montenegro has ordered Russian diplomats to leave the country. The Russian embassy in Montenegro received similar notices in March and April. Some Russian diplomats were given a 72-hour deadline to leave the country based on the violation of diplomatic norms.

Earlier expulsions of diplomats came only a few days after some local news-media outlets reported that two Russian citizens, Victor Antipin and Alexander Perishov, met with the officials of the pro-Serbian Democratic front. The current expulsion announcement does not cite a specific reason for expulsion but it can be assessed that similar reasons could be behind the sudden expulsion of the Russian diplomat.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to Montenegro’s expulsion of Russian diplomats. She noted that such attempts are being laid without reason and logic.

“We view the act by the Montenegrin authorities as yet another episode of the hybrid campaign unleashed by the West and its minions against Russia. We perceive this move as the unwillingness and the inability of official Podgorica to get away from the policy of mechanically following this destructive line – to the detriment of international security and, likewise, its own national interests,” she said.

Montenegro joined the international sanctions against Russia that came as a response to its invasion of Ukraine. On July 27, 2022, Montenegro froze the properties of two Russian citizens following the EU’s sanction list. According to Montenegro’s Property Office, one of those two Russian citizens was Marat Bashirov, a Russian politician who has properties in the coastal cities of Budva, Montenegro. Barishov is the leader of a pro-Russian separatist group in eastern Ukraine’s Luhansk region. Montenegro also joined the SWIFT ban on Russia along with other sanctions.

*^{Montenegro government session in Podgorica. (Image Credit: Government of Montenegro)}*

For years Montenegro was known as a VIP resort of rich Russian oligarchs who had made several properties in the country. According to a survey, 40% of the country’s real estate belongs to Russian citizens, including some prominent politicians and Russian billionaires.

According to the Central Bank of Montenegro, Russians are still the country’s largest real estate buyers, and the trend increased after the Russian invasion of Ukraine started in February 2022. Russian citizens have bought more than 40 million euros worth of properties in Montenegro since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, Montenegro’s actions toward Russian diplomats and tightening sanctions against Russian citizens can discourage the trend in near future.