BELGRADE, June 4 — Serbia’s intelligence service has cautioned President Aleksandar Vucic against attending a summit in Montenegro on Friday where European Union and Balkan leaders will gather, pointing to safety concerns amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the neighboring nations.
The coastal town of Tivat will host French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen on Friday as they meet with leaders from six Western Balkan nations to evaluate progress on EU membership prospects.
In a Wednesday evening statement, Serbia’s Security and Information Agency (BIA) declared that Montenegro poses significant safety risks for Vucic because of “hostile activities of foreign secret services and a presence of a criminal clan there.”
Despite the security warning, Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic indicated that Vucic intends to proceed with his Montenegro travel plans and expects to conduct significant meetings during his visit.
The security alert follows reports from media outlets in Podgorica that Montenegro authorities on Wednesday rejected entry to an aircraft carrying 87 Serbian men who had landed in Tivat, declaring them a security concern before the EU-Western Balkan Summit.
According to the Vijesti news portal, law enforcement confiscated two buses intended to transport the group.
Diplomatic relations between Serbia and Montenegro have deteriorated due to Podgorica’s connections with Kosovo, which Serbia refuses to acknowledge, and Belgrade’s perceived interference in domestic political matters through religious institutions and political organizations linked to Vucic’s Serbian Progressive Party.
Montenegro, a NATO member nation, declared independence in 2006 after ending its union with Serbia, and contrary to Belgrade’s position, has imposed sanctions on Russia while coordinating its foreign policy with the European Union.
Serbian N1 TV reported that Serbia implemented enhanced border controls with Montenegro on Wednesday evening, resulting in extensive delays at border crossings.
