PODGORICA, Montenegro — Montenegrin officials turned away 87 Serbian nationals at the border Wednesday, determining they presented security risks before a scheduled European Union conference with Western Balkan leadership.
The group touched down in Tivat, a coastal community, aboard a chartered Air Serbia aircraft earlier Wednesday. Law enforcement officials said they targeted the flight as part of heightened security protocols before Friday’s conference bringing together senior EU officials and Balkan leadership.
“As part of the activities aimed at preserving a stable security environment, the security services identified persons of security interest,” Montenegro’s police and its National Security Agency said in a statement.
Security officials had “gathered operational data and intelligence that indicate without a doubt that the presence in Montenegro of the individuals in question would pose a risk for internal and national security,” according to the statement.
Police photographs showed the individuals possessed communications gear and signs displaying ‘Serbia wins,’ a campaign message associated with populist Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party. Vucic is scheduled to participate in the Tivat conference, taking place in the Adriatic Sea resort community.
News outlets in Montenegro and Serbia reported the group contained recognized pro-government supporters who have faced allegations of assaulting student protesters during more than a year of demonstrations against Vucic.
Montenegrin law enforcement stated several individuals had arrest histories and had participated in “numerous high-risk public gatherings.” Officials in Montenegro also seized two buses.
Serbia provided no immediate response.
Vucic has recently declined to participate in Montenegro events commemorating the 20th anniversary of the nation’s separation from Serbia and has publicly backed pro-Serbian political groups in Montenegro that opposed the country’s NATO membership and favored stronger Russian relationships.
The Tivat conference will examine membership possibilities for six Western Balkan nations seeking EU entry — Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro. Each country sits at varying points in the EU admission process.
The EU has lately worked to promote reforms among candidate nations amid concerns about expanding Russian and Chinese influence.
