Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has stated that no centres for the reception of illegal migrants will be built on Montenegrin territory, unlike the planned arrangements in Albania, despite reports that Podgorica was included on a preliminary list of countries where the European Union could establish such facilities.
In a post on the social media platform X, Spajić said Montenegro has not held negotiations regarding the establishment of these centres and that the government has not launched any official initiative for their creation.
“When such an initiative comes to the table, our answer will be negative,” he wrote.
Spajić stressed that Montenegro remains a reliable partner of the European Union in protecting common borders and managing migration flows, but added that any decision affecting the country would be taken “responsibly, transparently, and only in accordance with the interests of Montenegrin citizens.”
His statement came after Italian media, citing sources close to the Italian government and diplomatic circles, reported that Montenegro had been included on a preliminary list of countries where the EU could establish new centres for the reception and return of irregular migrants.
According to these reports, Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi is expected to present the plan to his EU counterparts during an extraordinary meeting of EU member states.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that the strategy of Giorgia Meloni’s government is based on expanding the existing migration model agreement with Albania to other non-EU countries. Unlike the Albania model, the new centres would reportedly be financed directly through EU funds and the bloc’s common budget.
Besides Montenegro, other countries mentioned as potential locations for such centres include Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Rwanda, Ghana, Senegal, Mauritania, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Ethiopia.
