MOSCOW. May 29 (Interfax) - The Russian Foreign Ministry called 'disinformation' Montenegrin Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic's statement on Russia's meddling with this Balkan country's internal affairs.
"We have already repeatedly stated the official Russian side's non-involvement in any steps to organize illegal actions in Montenegro," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Monday.
"We consider the story about a 'state coup' cited by the official Podgorica and Moscow's alleged involvement in this con as an illustrative example of disinformation, pursuing the goal of tarnishing Russia, setting Montenegrin citizens against fraternal Russian people and concealing Podgorica's anti-democratic methods for dragging the country into NATO without taking the opinion of citizens into consideration," Zakharova said in a commentary.
Commenting on Darmanovic's statements about Russian ineffective investments into Montenegro, Zakharova said that "the minister forgets that the original causes of the negative [attitude] have been unilateral destructive steps made by the Montenegrin leadership, creation of artificial obstacles to honest business. The state elites in Montenegro are unfortunately frequently acting not in line with the law."
"In such conditions Russian citizens and entrepreneurs seriously are exposed to serious risks to encounter direct threats and provocations under the pressure of Montenegrin authorities," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.