Russia, Montenegro Trade Barbs Over NATO Membership

Montenegro's Foreign Ministry on Thursday dismissed Kremlin's claims that Russian citizens could be endangered in Montenegro due to worsening relations between the two countries.

The ministry said a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman's talk of growing "anti-Russian hysteria" in Montenegro were totally unfounded.

"There are no reports implying that any Russian businessman or tourist has experienced unpleasantness in Montenegro, or that there is any kind of hostility toward Russian people in our country. Thousands of the Russian citizens residing in our country ... can testify to that fact," the Montenegrin ministry said on Thursday.

"This is, therefore, mere manipulation and a continuation of a media war that Moscow is waging against Montenegro aimed at obstructing its accession to NATO," the ministry said.

Podgorica reacted came after the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Thursday said a dramatic decline in bilateral relations, provoked by Podgorica, the accession of Montenegro to NATO and the Montenegrin decision to join EU sanctions against Russia had provided the backdrop to an upsurge in anti-Russia hysteria.

"The general attitude to Russian business and Russians is becoming increasingly negative, and the ruling coalition is fostering a hostile attitude in Montenegrin society towards Russia and Russian citizens. In this situation, we cannot rule out the possibility of provocations, arrests of Russians on questionable charges and their extradition to other countries, primarily the United States," she said.

"We recommend that Russians take these circumstances into account," Maria Zakharova added.

The Montenegrin government said that all decisions on the future of the country, including NATO...