Montenegro's Foreign Minister Ervin Ibrahimovic has said that he believes his country's decision to suspend visa-free travel with Türkiye will be reversed within 10-15 days.
“We are in constant communication with the Prime Minister [Milojko Spajic]. I believe the decision to suspend visa-free travel [with Türkiye] will be revoked within 10-15 days,” he said during a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was on an official visit to Montenegro's capital, Podgorica.
Ibrahimovic reported that Türkiye's diplomatic missions in Montenegro was overcrowded with visitors following the suspension of the visa-free travel agreement.
A knife attack against a Montenegrin man on Oct. 25, initially reported by local media as involving Turkish nationals, sparked a wave of anti-Turkish sentiment in parts of Podgorica and prompted the prime minister to announce that Montenegro would temporarily suspend a visa-free regime for Turkish nationals.
“In order to preserve economic activity and bilateral relations, we will soon begin intensive consultations with our Turkish partners to find the best model that safeguards mutual interests, in the spirit of cooperation and alliance,” Spajic said at that time.
Montenegro’s Higher Court in Podgorica announced on Oct. 31 that two individuals detained on allegations of involvement in a knife attack in the city were released after it was determined they were not connected to the incident.
The knife attack incident prompted residents of the neighborhood to take to the streets, chanting anti-Turkish slogans during protests. Some Turkish-run restaurants were also vandalized.
At that time, police said several violent altercations involving Turkish citizens took place in Podgorica over the past 24 hours, resulting in the detention of about 45 Turkish nationals.
