In a conversation on the “PIKË” podcast with publicist Veton Surroi, the former Foreign Minister of Montenegro, Miodrag Vlahović, stated that outside the borders of Kosovo, very little is known about the way Serbia has treated Albanians over the decades.
According to Vlahovic, Serbia, since 1912 onwards, has shown an inability and a lack of will to integrate the Albanians and to treat them as equal citizens. He emphasized that this approach, according to him, produced the developments that followed later in the region.
He added that there is a deliberate political silence regarding this historical reality, not only for the periods before World War II, but also for later developments that have influenced current perceptions in Serbia and Montenegro.
Vlahovic also criticized forces he described as nationalist and Serbo-Mediterranean, saying they continue to influence how history is interpreted and relations with Albanians.
Speaking about the period after NATO’s intervention, he emphasized that Montenegro had a new approach to Kosovo, distancing itself from previous policies and maintaining a neutral stance.
“We said that Kosovo is not our problem and that we have no place at that table”, he said, adding that Montenegro was interested in a peaceful and democratic solution, respecting the rights of all communities.
According to him, this position was not always well understood, but had tacit support from the leadership at the time, including President Milo Djukanović.
Miodrag Vlahović on the POINT with Veto Surroi
