The statement of the US President's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, is a warning that Montenegro is at a great standstill, but also a warning that there is no trust given the composition of the majority in the Government, former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Žarko Korać told City Television.
“I am quite sure that Escobar did not say that by heart, diplomats of his rank do not say that on inspiration, but they say it with intention. This means that there is some data. Obviously, data are leaking that show that NATO does not really trust this government,” Korać pointed out.
The critically intoned statement of Escobar also requires an adequate response from the state of Montenegro, believes the leader of DEMOS, Miodrag Lekić.
“If there were those omissions to say and explain it. If they think it wasn't, let them know. It is not NATO's Holy Synod or the Comintern that someone swears and expresses verbal loyalty, but that the rules of the club are respected if you are in it”, explains Lekić for City TV.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that some media misinterpreted Escobar's statement and that it was, as they say, a statement of the panel moderator.
“There is a video in which it is clearly heard that the moderator sent a question to the State Department envoy for the Western Balkans Escobar with the following content – At the NATO Summit in Brussels this year, although informally, it was mentioned that it may be dangerous for NATO to share all information with the new government of Montenegro due to the influence of Serbia and Russia. Do you see a problem with that? Answering the question, Escobar said that he did not want to answer on behalf of NATO, but that the concern was real and that people in Montenegro should take it very seriously,” the statement reads.
Former Prime Minister and DPS MP Duško Marković says that Escobar's statement confirmed the allies’ distrust in Krivokapić's government.
“Transferring the assessments from the last NATO Summit, the American official actually clearly indicates to the Montenegrin citizens that this Government does not serve the strategic foreign policy interests of Montenegro,” Marković said.
SDP President Raško Konjević also commented on the statement on Twitter.
“Another clear warning that the ‘red line’ has been crossed. Apart from the parliamentary majority, the government has also lost the support of key international partners,” Konjević wrote on Twitter.
In addition, Escobar said that the current Montenegrin government will enjoy the support of the United States as long as it is democratic and focused on the country's European future.
He also said that the current situation in the Balkans has many similarities with the 90s of the last century, and the only solution to the tensions is the membership of the countries in the region in the European Union.