PODGORICA, Montenegro, Oct 14, (APP/AFP) – NATO membership will be a central issue in Montenegro’s general election on Sunday, with the vote marking the latest episode in a power struggle between Russia and the West in the Balkans. Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, who led the small Adriatic republic to independence from Serbia in 2006, has steered the nation towards closer ties with the West, pursuing membership in both the European Union and NATO. But Djukanovic is up against groups who oppose joining the military alliance, an issue that deeply divides the country, and analysts say he may fail to win enough support to form a stable government. Montenegro’s recent invitation to join NATO — yet to be ratified by Podgorica as well as other member states — follows other decisions that have displeased its long-time ally Moscow. Podgorica was among the first to recognise Kosovo’s independence in 2008, and in 2014 joined the EU’s policy of sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.
International News
NATO and Russia’s influence dominate Montenegro vote
