Tensions between Serbia and Montenegro, which started on Monday, got a happy resolution the following day late in the evening: Serbian citizens residing in Montenegro will be able to vote in Berane, Sutomor and Nikšić on April 3, in addition to Podgorica and Herceg Novi.
Serbia, in addition to the embassy and consulate, asked Montenegro for three or four additional polling stations, without first sending an explanation why it was asking for it, explained Belgrade's initial anger, the head of Montenegrin diplomacy Đorđe Radulović.
And further: "After my announcement, which was extremely conciliatory and called for reason, rationality and reconciliation", on Tuesday, "the diplomatic representative of the Embassy of Serbia was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro and submitted additional explanations stating that they wanted this because of the large number of of displaced persons from Kosovo who want to participate in the elections in Serbia".
After that, everything became clear and Serbs in Montenegro were granted three additional polling stations, so the political sparks stopped.
Minister Radulović's statement on Monday that additional polling stations will not be allowed and that Serbs will only be allowed to vote in the embassy in Podgorica and the Serbian consulate in Herceg Novi immediately caused the angry reaction of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.
He presented that it was another attack on Serbia and announced "a response with far-reaching consequences", which will be known after the meeting of the National Security Council, which was held yesterday, Tuesday.
"Expect everything," he told Vučić at the pre-election rally in Kikinda, and assessed that "even the Đukanović government did not ban voting in Berane and certain places for our elections."
Leaving Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić stated that he was not informed about all of this and accused Radulović of that, who replied that he had again shown that he was not familiar with the procedure, since Government sessions are not scheduled for such decisions. The Montenegrin public attributed the whole mess to the conflict between Krivokapić and Radulović, which has been going on for months.
In the meantime, Radulović said that "the barrage of announcements stirred up the political public" and "passions" for no reason.
He reminded that in accordance with "international law and conventions" voting is organized in embassies and consulates, which means that "this decision is not directed against anyone, because citizens of other countries - Croatia, the USA - vote in the same way in their embassies and consulates , Ukraine, Russia and many others whose national law allows voting abroad".
He asked himself, "is Montenegro so big that, if you want to exercise your right to vote, you cannot get to the Serbian embassy in Podgorica or the Consulate General in Herceg Novi very quickly?"
He told the Serbian diplomacy that "no one has forbidden the holding of elections", and that if there are "justified and practical reasons" that diplomatic representatives would subsequently present to Montenegro, "which was not done in the initial address, we would certainly consider this request additionally".
Outgoing Minister Radulović sent two messages at the same time: to Montenegrins, that "populism and politicking are exactly what Montenegro does not need, but calmness, composure and reconciliation", and to President Aleksandar Vučić that he regrets "that at a time when in the east of our war events are taking place on the continent, he is generally thinking about the far-reaching consequences in the region".
S.Ć./FoNet/TVCG
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