A war of words has erupted between Serbia and Montenegro, after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic declared that he will not participate in the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of Montenegro’s independence, saying that he does not want to celebrate “separation from Serbia”. Montenegro.

In its reaction, the Montenegrin diplomacy has said that Vucic’s rhetoric does not contribute to good neighborly relations and mutual respect.

“Montenegro did not secede from Serbia, nor has it ever been a part of Serbia in the way Vucic tries to present it”, says the reaction, “Jutarnji” reports.

The Montenegrin authorities emphasized that Serbia and Montenegro have been equal parts. of the state union created after the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia, while the independence of Montenegro also enabled Serbia to continue legal as an independent state.

“It is unacceptable and politically irresponsible that the anniversary of the independence of Montenegro is presented as an act against Serbia or the Serbian people”, declared the Montenegrin Foreign Ministry.

According to the official Podgorica, Montenegro does not celebrate its independence against anyone, but as an expression of the free will of the citizens and the democratic right to decide on their own future.

After this, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia also reacted, saying that Belgrade cannot remain silent in the face of efforts to “relativize the historical truth”.

Serbian diplomacy emphasized that Vucic had not said “any bad word” about Montenegro and that he had only expressed his personal opinion that he does not want to celebrate the separation of “two states fraternal”.

In another response, Montenegro declared that it does not celebrate the “loss of anyone” nor the “separation from Serbia”, but the freedom and right for both countries to independently decide their future.

On May 21, Montenegro will mark the 20th anniversary of the return of independence. The Montenegrin government has organized a series of festive activities, which will culminate with an official reception of Prime Minister Milojko Spajic in Podgorica and a concert by world star Ricky Martin.

Montenegro regained its independence on May 21, 2006, after a referendum in which 55.5 percent of citizens voted for secession from the state union with Serbia, while 44.5 percent were against.

Source: prizrenpost