MONTENEGRINS WILL NEED VISAS FOR TRAVEL TO RUSSIA

MOSCOW, OCTOBER 14 /SRNA/ - Montenegrin citizens will need visas to travel to Russia once Podgorica introduces visa requirements for Russian nationals, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"Accordingly, Montenegrin citizens will also have to obtain visas to travel to Russia," Zakharova said.

She said Podgorica's decision to introduce visas for Russian citizens would clearly harm Montenegro's interests and that years of cooperation between the two countries were being sacrificed for the sake of European integration, Sputnik reported.

According to Zakharova, introducing a visa regime would reduce the number of Russian tourists, hurt Montenegrin businesses and worsen the investment climate.

"It is, of course, pointless for the Montenegrin authorities to expect Brussels to compensate for the inevitable losses," Zakharova said.

Montenegro's Foreign Ministry informed the Russian side in September that visas would be introduced for Russian citizens from November 1, saying the move was necessary to meet mandatory criteria in the EU accession process.