Vucic Declines Official Montenegrin Welcome in Tivat

Aleksandar Vucic, the president of Serbia, reportedly informed Montenegrin institutions ahead of his arrival at the summit in Tivat that he did not want an official protocol welcome or send-off. According to unofficial reports, the information surfaced a day before the gathering and was received in Podgorica as unusual at a time of strained relations between the two states.

The claim was relayed by B92 and Novosti, citing the Montenegrin portal Borba on June 3. As of publication, there was no official statement from the Serbian president’s office or from Montenegrin institutions on the alleged request, so the information remains an unconfirmed report.

What is known about the Tivat visit?

According to available announcements, several bilateral meetings on the margins of the summit are expected during the stay in Montenegro. European Council President Antonio Costa is to meet Vucic on June 4, with joint statements by the two also announced. Vucic earlier said he was attending the summit at the invitation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The summit itself involves a larger number of delegations and heightened security measures in Tivat. What is confirmed at this point concerns the timing of the gathering and the announced meetings, while protocol details for individual delegations are not the subject of official statements.

A few confirmed elements can be drawn from the available announcements:

• the summit is taking place in Tivat, with several delegations attending
• the Vucic and Costa meeting is set for June 4, with joint statements
• Vucic said he was attending at the invitation of Ursula von der Leyen

Why is the report about declining protocol seen as unusual?

The core of the story is that, according to unofficial reports, it concerns the absence of the customary state protocol for a head of state arriving in a neighboring country. Such a move, if confirmed, would depart from standard diplomatic practice, which is why it draws attention at a time when relations between Belgrade and Podgorica are described as strained.

It is important to separate the confirmed from the disputed. It is confirmed that the summit is taking place and that bilateral meetings have been scheduled. The disputed, or unconfirmed, part is the claim about declining the protocol welcome, which originates with the portal Borba and which no official institution has confirmed so far. As context, the public discussion also mentions claims about security assessments related to the Serbian president’s stay in Montenegro, but those claims are likewise not officially confirmed and are not cited here as fact.

In a situation where part of the information comes from unofficial sources and part from announced meetings, it is left to the reader to follow whether competent institutions will issue an official confirmation or denial. Will the offices in Belgrade and Podgorica officially confirm or deny the reports about protocol in Tivat?