A political scene marked by identity issues
Independent since June 2006, Montenegro adopted a new constitution in October 2007, which was needed to take into account the powers previously vested in the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. The adoption of the new constitution raised many debates about the anthem, the flag, the independence of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church and the name of the language spoken in Montenegro. The main issue of opposition, language, resulted in the adoption of the language "Montenegrin" as the official language, while specifying that the use of Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian and Albanian languages is accepted. But in October 2020, the social democratic government fell after twenty-nine years of a majority in the Assembly on the issue of the church. After ten months of religious processions involving the large Serbian minority, the population rejected at the ballot box a law to confiscate the land of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Montenegro is in effect a British-style assembly system. According to the constitution, the President of Montenegro is elected by direct universal suffrage, but the constitution gives him limited powers: representation abroad, enactment of laws, and nomination of the Prime Minister. The system has only one chamber, with 81 members elected for four years. Parliament appoints the Prime Minister and ministers, votes on the annual budget, enacts laws and ratifies international treaties. The Serbian-Albanian coalition that won a majority in parliament in October 2020 now rules the country and puts President Djukanović in a difficult position.
The right to vote is granted to Montenegrins who have resided in the country for more than two years continuously. But the right to vote is forbidden to members of the Montenegrin diaspora, for fear that it has too much power. Indeed, while Montenegro has a population of just under 700,000, the diaspora numbers 800,000, with 70,000 representatives in Serbia alone.
Milo Djukanović, an apparatchik converted to liberalism
The current president of Montenegro, although still young, already has a long political career behind him. Born in 1962 in Nikšić, in the center of Montenegro, Milo Djukanović offers the typical profile of a former communist executive converted to nationalism. At 27, he was the youngest member of the Central Committee of the Yugoslav Communist Party. At 28, he was elected a member of the Montenegrin Parliament, and at 29, in 1991, he was appointed Prime Minister of Montenegro. Within the Yugoslav Communist Party, during its takeover by Milošević, he was nicknamed "Milo Britva" (Milo the Knife) because of his total support for the Serbian president. During the civil war of 1992-1995, he encouraged his soldiers to help the Serbs of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. But after 1995 and the Dayton Agreement, he felt the wind change and abandoned his mentor Slobodan Milošević to adopt an attitude of pro-Western neutrality. In October 1997, he was elected President of the Federated Republic of Montenegro with 50.8% of the vote. He turned to the West when NATO bombed Serbia and Kosovo in 1999 and opened Montenegro's borders wide to allow in tens of thousands of Kosovo Albanian refugees and Serbian opponents. But, as a shrewd businessman, he was caught in 2000 by his links with the Italian mafia of Puglia (Sacra Corona Unita), which works in the trafficking of cigarettes, cars and immigrant workers between Montenegro, Albania and Puglia. An investigation by the public prosecutor's office in Bari, Italy, into his personal involvement in a huge cigarette smuggling operation led to his indictment in 2000. To escape the wrath of Italian justice, he gave up the presidency of his country to become Prime Minister again in January 2003. The most surprising thing is that Milo Djukanović himself admitted in 2003 that the cigarette trade had ensured a good part of the Montenegrin budget at the time of the international sanctions against the former Yugoslavia (1992-1998). It was, according to him, "a question of survival" for the economy of his small country. Milo Djukanović is the longest-serving political leader in the country. He has held the position of Prime Minister or President (1991-2019) for thirty years without interruption.
Euro-Atlantic integration at full speed
Membership in the European Union is one of the country's strategic priorities. Negotiations for a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU began in October 2005 within the framework of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro and were concluded in March 2007. This agreement, signed in Luxembourg on October 15, 2007, entered into force on May1, 2010. It is one of the steps in the process of integration as a member of the EU and will represent a first step towards the status of "candidate country" confirmed by the European Council on 17 December 2010. This agreement provides for the establishment of a free trade area, significant liberalization of several economic sectors and the strengthening of relations between the country and the European Union through the introduction of European standards. Finally, under pressure from the Europeans, Montenegro finally recognized Kosovo's independence on October 9, 2008, provoking the ire of Belgrade and the disappointment of Serbian cousins. In 2021, negotiations for EU membership are still underway, as the reduction of corruption and the reform of the judiciary do not yet meet the criteria set by Brussels.
On the other hand, NATO membership, after many years of intense negotiations by the ruling team, came to fruition in December 2017. Rejected by the country's Serbian minority, which refuses to recognize the values of a military organization that bombed the Serbia-Montenegro union in the spring of 1999, and seen as a provocation by Vladimir Putin, who relied on the historical friendship between Russia and Montenegro to make it his preserve, NATO membership was difficult to accept for many. But Milo Djukanović, a fine tactician and new president since April 2018, has been able to play on the identity reflex of Montenegrins, as well as on the desire for protection and security of other minorities (Bosnians, Albanians) in the face of the Serbian neighbor.
An economy in transition to liberalism
The population of Montenegro amounts to 620 000 inhabitants with a relatively low density of 45 inhabitants per square kilometer. This gap reflects the level of development of the country, a significant emigration but also the geography of the country (mountains). The gaps between the rich population and the rest of the country are becoming obvious for the simple reason that one does not go from a communist system to a capitalist system so quickly. The countries explode in full flight and the system is transformed into an ultra-wild capitalism... in the etymological and definitional sense of capitalism. Capture by the head, capture by the "class head" in short. You will feel in Montenegro that some have made fortunes and that the majority is still very poor. We are very far from the "daddy capitalism" of the 1920s in the United States.
In 2014, according to the World Bank, it was estimated that about 8.6% of the population lived below the poverty line, i.e. on less than €170 per month. The concern is that even with triple in salary, it was complicated to live in Montenegro before the inflation of early 2023.
Agriculture accounts for 10.2% of GDP in 2016 according to the IMF. Exports in the sector are concentrated on two companies (Plantaže, a Podgorica wine producer, and the Belgian-owned Trebjesa brewery). The production of tangerines, figs, kiwis, oranges and olive oil is not to be neglected.
Maritime transport, with the port of Bar, the only important maritime outlet of the country, remains penalized by inadequate infrastructure and insufficient interconnection with the rest of the Balkans. However, the port of Bar owes a good part of its activity to flows linked to the production of aluminum and the import of oil and its derivatives. Overall, Montenegro remains penalized by a limited domestic market. The country is now counting on its independence and the prospect of faster integration into the european Union to gain access to larger markets.
Industry, although it has had to go through privatization, still has some gems. The Podgorica aluminum combine, the Nikšić steel mills and the Bjelo shipyards are some examples.
A booming tourism sector
Montenegro continues to be a destination of choice for travelers from around the world. In 2023, the tourism industry experienced significant growth due to an increase in the supply of accommodation and improved tourism infrastructure throughout the country.
Visitors are attracted to the country's natural beauty, including its white sandy beaches, towering mountains and national parks. Outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking and rafting, are also becoming increasingly popular.
Coastal towns such as Budva and Kotor have seen rapid growth in their tourism sector, with an increase in the number of restaurants, bars and stores for visitors. In 2023, Montenegro is certainly a destination to consider for those seeking a unique combination of natural beauty, culture and adventure. Beware of the wild construction that ravages the seashore. No coastal law in Montenegro..
Jakov Milatović, the revival
Montenegro has recently elected a new president and this has brought joy to the Serbs living in the north of the country. Why? Because the new president is seen as respectful to their community. It is the young President Milatović who succeeds the old one who stayed in office for more than thirty years.
Montenegro's presidential elections were held in April 2023. Serbs in northern Montenegro have expressed their satisfaction with this news, as they feel that their voice will be better heard by this new leader. Montenegro is a country of cultural diversity, with a strong Serbian presence in the north of the country. This region has often been the scene of tensions between the Serbian and Montenegrin communities, but the election of this new president could mark a turning point in the relationship between these two groups. If you travel to northern Montenegro, you might feel this appeasement and relief among the local Serbs. The new president is seen as a leader who respects all communities, and this is reflected in the way he addresses the population. So you may find a more relaxed atmosphere and a greater sense of security in this part of the country.
