\u201cIn practice, this means that starting Nov. 1, our citizens will only be able to enter and remain in Montenegro with visas. Accordingly, citizens of Montenegro will also have to obtain visas for trips to Russia,\u201d Zakharova said.<\/p>\n
Montenegro announced<\/a> in July that it would end visa-free access for citizens of Russia, Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey to align with EU standards.<\/p>\n Zakharova argued the decision would curb Russian tourism, harm local businesses and degrade Montenegro\u2019s investment climate.<\/p>\n Montenegro has for years remained one of the few European countries to offer visa-free entry to Russians for up to 30 days and absorbed a large wave of anti-war Russian emigres after the invasion of Ukraine.\u00a0<\/p>\n Local media reported<\/a> earlier this year that two-thirds of registered Russian residents had left Montenegro in anticipation of the new visa rules.<\/p>\n \t\tnews \t\t\t\tMontenegro Expels Founder of Russian Pro-War Blog Rybar for ‘Security Reasons’ \u201cIt\u2019s pointless for Montenegro to expect Brussels to compensate them for their inevitable losses,\u201d Zakharova said.<\/p>\n She warned that EU accession would require prospective members among the Balkan nations to adopt a \u201cconfrontational anti-Russian course\u201d that would go against their national interests.<\/p>\n The subject of tightening border controls recently drew the attention of the founder of the popular pro-war Telegram channel Rybar, who was detained and deported from Montenegro on claims that he was seeking to film a documentary portraying EU integration as an externally imposed process.<\/p>\n Russian-Montenegrin relations have been strained since 2016, when Podgorica accused Russia of plotting a failed coup with Serbian ultranationalists. The Kremlin denied that claim.<\/p>\n Ties worsened further after Montenegro joined NATO in 2017 and aligned with EU sanctions over Russia\u2019s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.\u00a0<\/p>\n Montenegro has also banned Russian state media and expelled Russian diplomats for espionage, prompting Moscow to add the country to its list of \u201cunfriendly\u201d states.<\/p>\n Reuters contributed reporting.<\/p>\n A Message from The Moscow Times:<\/p>\n Dear readers,<\/p>\n We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”<\/p>\n These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.<\/p>\n We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.<\/p>\n By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tContinue\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Not ready to support today? \u00d7<\/p>\n \t\tRemind me next month<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tThank you! Your reminder is set.\n\t\t<\/p>\n
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