As European Council President Antonio Costa expresses absolute confidence in Montenegro’s security apparatus, Brussels moves to defuse the growing diplomatic gridlock between Belgrade and Podgorica, urging an immediate end to retaliatory border measures.
The European Union has issued an urgent directive calling for mutual respect, restraint, and enhanced regional cooperation in the Western Balkans. The diplomatic intervention comes on the immediate eve of the high-stakes EU-Western Balkans Summit, which opens tomorrow in the Montenegrin coastal town of Tivat.
The buildup to the summit has been completely overshadowed by severe bilateral friction between Serbia and Montenegro. The row ignited after Podgorica deported a charter flight of 87 Serbian nationals over state security concerns, prompting Belgrade to institute grueling, hours-long retaliatory border delays targeting Montenegrin citizens.
Costa Dismisses Security Dramatics, Backs Podgorica
European Council President Antonio Costa—who has just arrived in Tivat to co-chair the summit alongside Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović following a multi-nation regional tour—flatly dismissed claims from Belgrade that the environment in Montenegro is hostile.
Responding directly to warnings issued by Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) claiming that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s life would be actively endangered at the summit, Costa expressed unyielding trust in the host nation.
“We have absolute confidence in the state authorities of Montenegro to fully secure this summit and protect all participants,” Costa stated unequivocally. “This explicitly includes the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.”
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ The Tivat Summit Diplomatic Standoff │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • The Detonation: Montenegro deports 87 Serbian nationals linked to │
│ organized crime ahead of the high-level regional gathering. │
│ • The Counter-Move: BIA warns Vučić to boycott; Vučić rejects advice, │
│ vowing to attend and "say exactly what he thinks." │
│ • The Retaliation: Belgrade imposes strict, unannounced security │
│ checks on Montenegrin citizens at Serbian border crossings. │
│ • The EU Stance: Formally backs Montenegro's sovereign border laws; │
│ demands Serbia immediately normalize border traffic. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Diplomats on the ground view the security narrative spun by the BIA as a calculated political gambit by Vučić designed to dominate the summit’s media coverage and frame himself as the central protagonist before European leaders. Vučić confirmed he would defy his own intelligence advice, stating he is traveling to Tivat because he “knows no fear” and intends to “say exactly what he thinks” during the plenary sessions.
Brussels Validates Montenegro’s Sovereign Rights
While the European Union is closely monitoring the volatile situation at the border, an official EU spokesperson in Brussels explicitly validated Podgorica’s legal enforcement actions while issuing a firm warning to Belgrade to halt its retaliatory border blockades.
“We have taken note of the decision by the authorities of Montenegro to deny entry to certain individuals from Serbia, based entirely on national security considerations within the framework of domestic state law,” the EU spokesperson declared.
“We are actively monitoring the retaliatory situation currently unfolding at the Serbian border. We call on Belgrade to immediately restore normal border procedures and prevent any further artificial obstacles to free movement,” the statement continued, reiterating that regional integration cannot progress without basic diplomatic stability.
Late Change to the EU Delegation
As European and Balkan leaders arrive on the coast, the EU confirmed a major last-minute change to its official delegation.
The newly appointed High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has been forced to cancel her highly anticipated trip to the Adriatic summit due to sudden health reasons. Despite her absence, European Council President Antonio Costa will lead the programmatic push to align Western Balkan economies with the EU’s single market frameworks during tomorrow’s sessions.
