Montenegro Urged to Solve Border Disputes

European Parliamentarians have submitted 188 amendments to a draft resolution on Montenegro, which will be discussed on Monday, most of which urge Podgorica to resolve border and property disputes with neighbouring countries.

The resolution drafted by the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee commends the government in Podgorica for maintaining good relations with all its neighbours, including Kosovo but stresses the need to swiftly settle oustanding issues with Croatia, Serbia and Kosovo.  

"The European parliament also encourages the final delimitation of borders with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo in order to eliminate potential sources of tension," the resolution says.

Croatian MEP Ivan Jakovcic has submitted an amendment in relation to the Prevlaka peninsula issue, calling for the "speedy amicable solution" to the land and maritime border dispute with Croatia over the peninsula south of Dubrovnik.

If no negotiated settlement can be found, he said, the two countries should resolve the dispute in The Hague, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law.

An MEP from Slovakia, Eduard Kukan, has meanwhile filed a motion calling on Montenegro to resolve a dispute with Bosnia and Herzegovina over the Sutorina coastal area, which both countries claim.

Croatian MEPs in a joint amendment request Montenegro to fully comply with the provisions of the former Yugoslavia succession agreement, especially in regard to military property.