Montenegro Suspends Visa-Free Travel for Turkey After Violent Attack

The government of Montenegro has made an urgent decision to temporarily suspend the visa-free regime for Turkish citizens. This step followed a violent incident in the capital, Podgorica, in which Turkish citizens were allegedly involved, and which caused mass discontent among the local population.

Prime Minister Milojko Spajić stated that the decision will be made through an emergency procedure with the aim of regulating the situation. At the same time, he emphasized that Montenegro strives to maintain good-neighborly relations with Turkey. "To maintain economic activity and good bilateral relations, we will soon begin intensive negotiations with the Republic of Turkey to find the best mutually beneficial model in the spirit of good cooperation and alliance," Spajić wrote on the social network X.

The basis for this government decision was an incident in the Zabelo district of Podgorica, where a 25-year-old local resident was severely beaten and stabbed. The victim claims that he was attacked by Turkish citizens. The police reported that they are looking for three attackers, who are believed to be Turks.

The incident caused a large wave of anger. Many residents of the district gathered to express their protest, periodically chanting offensive expressions addressed to the Turks. The situation escalated to the point where the police launched large-scale operations in the district, conducting searches in several places.

The tension reached its peak when three Turkish citizens, fearing reprisal from the locals, took refuge in one of the casinos. According to eyewitnesses, a group of locals tried to physically assault them. The police were forced to intervene to bring them out safely. Two Turkish citizens were arrested, and according to unofficial information, one of them is suspected of participating in the attack the previous night. After these events, the gathered crowd began to disperse.