I've been through nearly every country in Europe as a tourist and Montenegro was the weirdest. The whole country was beautiful but poor and then you hit Budva, SO MANY supercars and G classes with Russian license plates covered up, there's a LOT of Russian money there.
101
SnWhy7Apr 23, 2026
+23
I'm on my way through Europe and probably will finish the trip with Montenegro and Albania.
I heard a mixed bag of stories about Montenegro. What made it so weird? Any tips/advice is kindly appreciated!
23
TatarAmericanApr 23, 2026
+39
It's a country of extremes. The capital feels solidly Balkan, the north and east, especially rural areas are rather poor. But places like Kotor on the coast look (and in some ways are) richer than many towns across the Adriatic in Italy.
39
lightbehindpaperApr 24, 2026
+18
If you're in Kotor, go to the cat museum. I will say no more. There's some weird shit in there
18
No_Stomach_2341Apr 24, 2026
+3
That ain't no museum, it's a tourist trap. My family is one of few that is for centuries in Kotor, and I'm ashamed what is now.
3
erkomapApr 24, 2026
+5
If you are talking about cat Putin, Hitler and etc, it is fair to mention that the "Museum" is actually a private business and is not endorsed by the government
5
lightbehindpaperApr 24, 2026
+1
Totally, but I feel like lots of museums are that way no?
1
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 23, 2026
+30
Montenegro has had a huge amount of Russian investment since 2014.
It would be the easiest country for Putin to buy off.
Beautiful country, though.
30
JamnusorApr 24, 2026
+11
I thought that was Cyprus in 2010 but it turns out the Oligarchs prefer a stable government to launder and spend their cash.
11
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+5
You seem to be mixed up.
Oligarchs prefer a *government that is for sale*.
5
blitzfreak_69Apr 24, 2026
+5
That’s literally bs. All the Putin-related Russian money and influence started evaporating in 2014 so more than a decade ago. And *especially* after 2017 when Montenegro joined NATO.
Yes, there is a lot of Russians today in Montenegro. And a lot of Ukrainians as well. Both are people fleeing from being drafted into war, and they don’t support the war or Putin. So that’s why that’s bs.
Even political party-wise, the maximum cap for pro-Russian parties is around 35% which coincides with the pro-Russian population of Serbs in Montenegro.
People are overwhelmingly pro-EU and pro-Western.
5
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+2
While 2014–2016 saw a dip, the overall trend has been a consistent, long-term influence of Russian capital in Montenegro's economy, specifically in the real estate and tourism sectors.
Russian investment dropped significantly following Montenegro's alignment with EU sanctions on Russia in 2014. Annual investment fell to €68.9 million in 2015, and continued to fall to €22 million in the first half of 2016.
[Despite political tensions and a dip in direct investments, Russian citizens remained the largest real estate buyers in Montenegro throughout the 2015–2025 period.](https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/07/russian-interest-in-montenegrin-real-estate-spikes-despite-sanctions/bi/montenegro/)
Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian investment surged again. Russians were the largest investors in Montenegro in early 2022, buying 20 million euros' worth of property since February of that year.
Recent data from 2022 and 2023 shows that many Russian companies and individuals moved to Montenegro, often opening companies primarily to secure residence permits, with investments in the tourism and services sectors growing.
As of 2019, Russia was the largest individual investor in Montenegro for the 2012-2019 period, accounting for 20.9% of foreign direct investment (FDI), though experts note many investments were aimed at buying real estate rather than developing new economic sectors.
[As of 2026 - Russia, Serbia and Turkey lead foreign investments in Montenegro](https://thegeopost.com/en/ballkan/rusia-serbia-dhe-turqia-ne-krye-te-investimeve-te-huaja-ne-mal-te-zi/)
2
blitzfreak_69Apr 24, 2026
+3
After 2022, when you say Russia, do tell, is it the Russian state or Russian citizens (who seek to get residency permits)?
Your comments make it seem as if Putin himself is sending moeny to Montenegro, and not investments being made by Russian citizens who are against Putin, fleeing the war… Once again, the era of the Russian state investing in Montenegro was on the deathbed since 2014 and fully died after 2017. Montenegrin citizens are overwhelmingly pro-EU.
So how exactly is it the easiest for Putin to buy off? If he could, by now he would have, certainly would not have let it join NATO if he had been able stop it.
3
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+2
Russian companies and Russian citizens.
Russians who emigrated after 2022 are still largely pro-Russia.
They simply aren't eager to fight in the war.
[And if you think Russians have no plans to interfere with Montenegro's politics, then you are ignoring very recent events.](https://wbnet.org/genesis-of-russian-influence-in-montenegro-why-the-west-should-be-concerned/)
You are claiming the era of Russian investments has been dead since 2017, when I linked articles showing that is false.
2
blitzfreak_69Apr 24, 2026
+2
I am not ignoring recent events nor claiming Russian state does not interfere. I already explained to you that the maximum theoretical level of support for the pro-Russian parties can never exceed 35% let alone 50%.
And again, Russian citizens =/= Putin.
If Montenegro was able to be bought off by Russia then they would have done it a long time ago, let alone if it was the easiest.
2
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+2
If I am Putin, I am waiting for Montenegro to enter the EU before buying its leaders.
Worked for Hungary, Slovakia, and now Bulgaria.
2
blitzfreak_69Apr 24, 2026
By that logic Putin should have been the biggest promoter of Ukraine’s EU and NATO membership. Clearly, something isn’t quite right with that logic.
0
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+2
If Putin had found he could control Zelensky, then he would probably not have invaded Ukraine.
2
blitzfreak_69Apr 24, 2026
+1
Well if he found he could control Montenegro he would not have tried a coup in 2016 to prevent it from joining NATO in 2017.
Furthermore, even with all of the new post-2020 governments, despite some of the pro-Russian parties being a part of the government (!) all of the EU’s Russian sanctions are in place. Montenegro has not missed *even once* to follow EU’s foreign policy since 2014. Montenegro is literally on the Russian infamous list of “enemy states”. So the idea of the country suddenly becoming a Russian pawn is absurd. That’s my main point I’m trying to make.
1
Historical_Green8939Apr 24, 2026
it's hard to convince someone who refuses to be convinced no matter what the arguments are
0
Sweet_Concept2211Apr 24, 2026
+1
When you make assertions without any sources to back them up, who is going to be convinced?
1
Historical_Green8939Apr 24, 2026
+1
>It would be the easiest country for Putin to buy off
like this one?
1
Minute-Leg7346Apr 23, 2026
+111
Until the EU reforms the veto system no new country should be allowed to join, too easy to cripple the union from within.
111
ZuAusHierDaApr 23, 2026
+37
We have already reformed the veto system. In every aspect where the EU has officially the competence there is no more veto. Regulations, trade deals, and so on - all without a veto. 80% of all decisions are with qualified majority.
Only in areas where the EU has no clear mandate there is a veto. For example foreign policy and defence. Or health care.
If we want to get rid of the veto in these areas we simply have to give the EU the mandate to act for the member states. Meaning no more individual foreign policy for nations like Spain or Germany.
37
xChargApr 24, 2026
+2
> Only in areas where the EU has no clear mandate there is a veto. For example foreign policy and defence. Or health care.
Orban vetoed a loan to Ukraine up to just a couple weeks ago. Which is finance/budgeting area - something EU absolutely has mandate for. Yet veto was still there.
2
ZuAusHierDaApr 24, 2026
+8
No, the EU has no competence in issuing common debts. That’s usually an absolute no-go.
8
xChargApr 24, 2026
It's not a *common* debt, it's a loan financed by specific countries - I don't recall which ones but it's like less than half EU members. Hungary still vetoed it despite them not being the one financing - simply because orban has built his election campaign on being anti-Ukrainian on every matter.
0
ZuAusHierDaApr 24, 2026
+1
Yeah, but it’s simply not the normal competence of the EU to offer a third party a loan. That’s why this was a veto decision.
1
MakiENDzouApr 24, 2026
+1
If you do that majority of people could loose their ethusiasm to join EU
1
pompcaldorApr 23, 2026
-11
The veto is the EU’s way to avoid becoming the United States of Europe.
-11
abundantpeckingApr 23, 2026
+7
The US president already gets to veto legislation passed through Congress without a supermajority.
7
enhelspecialApr 23, 2026
-22
EU will use these corrupt countries to secure majority voting for shitty politics that non-corrupt countries wont support
-22
Dexen3356Apr 23, 2026
+6
La Russie paye les pays corrompus trop cher pour ça
6
OneNormalBlokeApr 23, 2026
+14
And then poo-tin will install a puppet leader to sabotage the EU from within.
14
VisualAdagioApr 23, 2026
Already has.
0
Only_Jackfruit_6905Apr 23, 2026
+2
This is c***, eu system is slow and for the lost of the time not efficient, orban proved it, now try adding Montenegro, you’d need to take Montenegro and you can block everyone
2
Strange_Status_7690Apr 23, 2026
+9
New countries to join might be deprived from veto system.
9
Only_Jackfruit_6905Apr 23, 2026
+5
Then it’s possible but with the current system
They still would need a lot of time to agree on that, the system is very inefficient
5
erkomapApr 24, 2026
+1
Our government already clarified that if that were the case, we would not be joining the EU
All this fearmongering on the sub about Russian influence, majority of Russians living here are regular people, they try their best to integrate, own businesses, etc.
We joined the Russian sanctions immediately in 2022, even though it impacted our economy considerably.
EU should worry more about Bulgaria, who just elected pro-Russian government and is already a member state lmao
1
PositronitisApr 25, 2026
+1
Why would we risk it though? First reform the EU, only then accept new members.
1
erkomapApr 25, 2026
+1
Lmao MNE will enter the EU with a veto right, honestly all you can do is cry about it
1
cosmonauts5512Apr 24, 2026
+2
EU System is slow because it's complex - because real world problems are actually complex - but its also efficient.
All Orban proved is that he's out and Europe continues as a world spearhead in policies.
2
ClubSodaApr 24, 2026
Carney cuts in line: "Sorry, but I think we are supposed to be next."
Very well done! And hopefully, they won’t play dirty tricks letting Ukraine unvetted in. Ukraine is simply not ready, regardless of all the ridiculous left wing propaganda.
-37
saihuangApr 23, 2026
-14
Ye, let’s not do that
-14
GreyScopeApr 24, 2026
-11
Another country leeching off the other richer countries for nothing in return . I disliked Brexit , before , during and after but this is a point in its favour .
-11
lradPumpacApr 25, 2026
+1
Stfu, and sit in your basement creating ai slop, tardo f***
50 Comments