Montenegro eyes visa restrictions for Russians as EU membership beckons

Montenegro will soon introduce visa requirements for Russian citizens as part of its commitment to align with EU standards, President Jakov Milatović confirmed in an interview with POLITICO, expressing concerns about the influx of Russian money and the impact of foreign influence on the country’s EU membership bid.

The small Adriatic nation, with a population of 600,000, currently allows Russian nationals to enter visa-free for up to 30 days. Russians remain the largest group of foreign investors in Montenegro and are also a key source of tourism revenue — a fact that complicates the country’s strategic alignment with the European Union.

“What we are trying to do is sort of postpone it [visas] as much as we can, so that we still keep our tourism sector alive,” Milatović explained. However, he admitted he is “absolutely” concerned by the volume of Russian investment, saying: “We are a bit in a vacuum now because … we don’t have full access to EU funds.”

Despite these challenges, Milatović confirmed that Montenegro will align its visa policy with the EU “very soon,” signaling Podgorica’s intention to move in step with Brussels as it pursues full EU membership by 2028.

Montenegro applied to join the EU in 2008 and was granted candidate status in 2010. Since then, it has closed seven out of 33 accession chapters and expects to close five more by the end of 2025.

However, the country’s road to membership faces other obstacles, including internal political divisions, tensions with neighboring Croatia, and skepticism within some EU capitals about further enlargement.

Milatović emphasized that Russian disinformation remains a key concern, calling on the EU for stronger support to counter “malign influence from third countries.” He also warned that pro-European leaders in the Western Balkans are often “left alone” by EU partners.

Ultimately, Milatović said the EU must show that “enlargement is alive” and that “reforms pay off.” “Now is the time to revive the process,” he said, “to also revive a bit the idea of the EU as a club that still has a gravity toward it.”

By Vafa Guliyeva