The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Montenegro has replied to a protest note sent by its Croatian counterparts concerning the production of badges featuring the image of the training ship “Jadran.” The Montenegrin side emphasized its readiness to resolve open issues through dialogue.
According to statements from the MFA to Vijesti, the response was delivered via diplomatic channels.
The Ministry clearly expressed Montenegro’s willingness to address all jointly identified open issues in relations with Croatia through constructive and sincere dialogue.
Croatia issued the new protest note in early August following Montenegro’s Ministry of Defense decision to produce badges depicting the “Jadran” training ship, which Croatia claims as its property.
In the note, Croatia also announced a detailed analysis of the overall military succession, claiming that Montenegro owes Croatia more than two billion U.S. dollars, without specifying the basis of this debt. Montenegro’s Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, stated that no official confirmation has been received regarding any such debt.
Relations between the two countries worsened late last year when Croatia blocked Montenegro from closing Chapter 31 (Foreign, Security, and Defense Policy) in EU accession talks. This came after Zagreb submitted a non-paper listing demands to resolve several outstanding issues it considers detrimental to bilateral relations.
Tensions have escalated over multiple matters—including ownership of the “Jadran” ship, compensation for former detainees of the Morinj camp, and the name of a swimming pool in Kotor—most notably after Montenegro’s parliament adopted a Resolution on the Genocide in Jasenovac and the Dachau and Mauthausen camps in June 2024. Croatia responded with a protest note at that time.
