Allegations that Albania and Serbia could be the two countries to which Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic referred when he warned of hybrid activities aimed at destabilizing Montenegro have caused political reactions in Tirana and Podgorica.
The debate began after Spajic's statement, who said that Montenegrin authorities have "serious operational security information" about coordinated hybrid activities, which, according to him, involve officials from at least two countries in the region.
The Montenegrin Prime Minister did not mention names, but stated that the purpose of these activities is to destabilize Montenegro and obstruct its path towards the European Union.
Subsequently, the Montenegrin media outlet "Vijesti", citing several sources, reported that the two countries Spajic had in mind were Albania and Serbia.
The report also sparked reactions in Albanian politics. The head of the Democratic Party parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, called the allegations "extremely serious" and demanded an immediate denial from the Albanian government.
"It is unacceptable for Albania to allow even the impression to be created that it could be part of some coordinated scenario with Serbia to destabilize Montenegro," Bardhi declared.
Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha rejected the claims, stating that Albania is not and cannot be part of any destabilizing scenario towards Montenegro or any other country.
According to Hoxha, Albania invests in regional cooperation, stability and development, while "speculation, media interpretations or internal political debates" should not artificially create problems in relations between the two countries.
The issue is now expected to reach the highest institutional level in Montenegro. President Jakov Milatović has called an urgent meeting of the Defense and Security Council for Monday. According to "Vijesti", security sector leaders are expected to be asked for detailed information on the allegations raised by Spajić, as well as an assessment of the security situation in the country.
Meanwhile, the prime minister's statements have also caused clashes within Montenegrin politics. People's Democratic Party MP Vladislav Bojović described them as a sign of "helplessness and panic" ahead of the elections, demanding that, if the government has evidence of anti-state activity, those responsible be reported and prosecuted.
So far, the claim that Albania and Serbia are the two countries indirectly mentioned by Spajic is based on the reporting of "Vijesti", while the Montenegrin prime minister has not publicly identified the countries in question.
