The Federal Tourism Agency, at the instigation of the Foreign Ministry, organized anti-advertising for tours to Montenegro. Summer questions: why Russians are not recommended to buy tours to Montenegro

Quite recently, there was discussion on TV and on the Internet about the possibility of closing charters to Turkey. Behind last month appeared in the media a large number of materials about why it is unsafe to travel to Montenegro. The country's main TV channels and online publications indicated that in the west of the Balkan Peninsula there is a low level of service, many everyday problems and rampant crime. On April 20, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that there is now “a surge of anti-Russian hysteria” in Montenegro. "Outpost North-West" figured out the cause-and-effect relationships of what was happening.

Montenegro for Russian citizens

The country became attractive as a holiday destination back in the early 2000s. In 2014, Montenegro's income from tourism amounted to 20% of GDP. The most popular among visitors are resorts in the cities of Becici, Budva, Herceg Novi, historical and natural attractions.

This year, the demand for holidays in Montenegro and Croatia among Russian residents has increased several times - the growth in early sales has exceeded 100%. Tour operators drew attention to the advantages that Russians enjoy: there are no difficulties in obtaining a residence permit, low cost, opportunity family vacation etc.

Montenegro and the Russian Federation

Difficulties in relations between countries began with the Ukrainian crisis. In 2014, as an official candidate to join the European Union, Montenegro joined the sanctions against Russia. In 2015, Montenegro expanded anti-Russian sanctions and at the same time the Russian side extended a food embargo to the country.

The next critical moment occurred in 2016 during the coup attempt in Montenegro. Then several Russian citizens were deported from Serbia with the wording “for participation in the preparation of terrorist actions.” Later, two Russian citizens were also put on the international wanted list.

The final “chord” of deterioration in relations was the process of Montenegro’s accession to NATO. On April 28, 2017, the Montenegrin parliament voted to join the alliance. It is known that the summit of the North Atlantic Alliance on May 25 will be held with the participation of a “recruit”.

Vacation in Montenegro: yes or no?

Despite all the warnings, tour operators continue to offer trips to the Balkan Peninsula. There are more than 300 groups on the VKontakte social network dedicated to holidays in Montenegro. Along with the improvement in relations between Russia and Turkey, the demand for Russian resorts is rapidly falling - in particular, experts record a decrease in ticket sales to Crimea for May holidays.

Comparing holiday prices foreign countries so far they are almost on par with Russian resorts: the cost of a trip to Turkey starts on average from 14-16 thousand rubles for 8-10 days of vacation, you can go to Montenegro for the same period for 20 thousand. Tours to Crimea also start at prices of 13-16 thousand rubles*. As for incidents, Montenegro does not stand aside. On April 25, a car exploded in the country's resort town of Herceg Novi. As a result, one person was injured.

Will Montenegro end up under a complete ban? Question on this moment, open. On the one hand, there is a warning from official representative Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maria Zakharova. On the other hand, in order for tour operators to stop selling tours, an official statement from Rostourism or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is necessary that in Montenegro citizens of the Russian Federation may be in danger of life and health.

Note

At the beginning of April, the most popular travel website in Russia published data on the most popular destinations in 2017. Domestic tourism came first. In second place by the number of trips booked in March is Turkey, followed by Thailand. Cyprus is in fourth place, and Tunisia is in fifth place.

*data from the travel agency “Putevka! Sale of tours"

"anti-advertising" directions for Russian tourists from foreign policy agencies. The Russian Foreign Ministry, represented by official representative Maria Zakharova, stated that the current situation in the country is unfavorable for tourists. “Against the background of a sharp decline in bilateral relations, the expected registration of Montenegro’s membership in NATO in the near future, and the proactive decision of the Montenegrin authorities to join EU sanctions against the Russian Federation, we note a surge in anti-Russian hysteria there,” reports Maria Zakharova. She also noted that the Foreign Ministry does not exclude “possible provocations, detentions for dubious reasons, attempts to extradite Russian citizens to third countries, primarily the United States.”

At the same time, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also touched upon the topic of Montenegro’s recent decision to extend the visa-free stay of Russian tourists to 90 days, also in a critical manner. “In this context, the recent decision of Podgorica is a trick that cannot cover up the attitude towards Russia that is being formed to please the West,” said Maria Zakharova. Accordingly, following the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rostourism also issued an official warning.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro responded to the statement of their colleagues as follows: a statement was published on the website of the country’s government. In it, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro reported that there were no recorded cases of Russian business men or the tourist encountered hostility in Montenegro. “There is no hostility towards the Russian people in our country,” the department said.

Let us recall that at the end of March the Rossiya 1 TV channel distinguished itself with a “devastating” story about Montenegro. Russian business is leaving, tourism is degrading, and crime is rapidly occupying free niches. The main topic of the report was the country's expected entry into NATO, which, according to the authors, threatens a severe crisis, including in the tourism sector. However, Russian tour operators deny the horrors shown on TV. “Rampant crime in the resorts of Kotor and everywhere else. Montenegrins themselves do not advise their friends from Russia to go here,” the story notes. The report also talks about a noticeable decrease in tourist flow: “Already at this time, the first tourists from Russia usually come to Montenegro. But this year there are noticeably fewer of them, locals note.”

In fact, the situation with tourism in Montenegro is completely different: according to tour operators, this year sales of Montenegro under the “early booking” promotion have increased significantly, and some hotels are already at a standstill. However, some slight decrease in the number of tourists for patriotic reasons is quite possible, but against the backdrop of explosive demand, hardly anyone will notice it.

“Given the importance of tourism for Montenegro, the country is preparing for the season with all its might. At the same time, in contrast to what was stated in the report, an unprecedented increase in arrivals of foreign tourists is expected. Early booking on the Russian market is 2-3 times higher than the most best years. The problem now, on the contrary, is that many hotels and villas have either already sent or are planning to send stop sales for the peak dates of the coming season in the near future. This comes as there is incredible demand from Western tourists who are shifting their focus away from unsafe Turkish resorts to European ones, including Montenegrin ones,” Natalya Margolina, head of the Montenegro department of the tour operator “”, told the correspondent of the TURPROM information group.

According to the expert, at the moment the situation in Montenegro is very calm. Last year there were only a few opposition protests in Podgorica. “The Montenegrin people are divided approximately 50/50 - into those who want to join NATO and those who oppose it. There is an ordinary political struggle going on, which has no bearing on the economy. At the same time, there is a very kind, one might say brotherly attitude towards Russians in general, and towards Russian tourists in particular,” emphasized Natalya Margolina.

According to tourism industry experts, the endless “warnings” of Rostourism do not add confidence to the agency. It is clear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is guided by political considerations in its declarations, but mindlessly repeating them without taking into account the interests of the tourism industry is not the most understandable policy for the relevant department. Note that according to PCT data, Montenegro in 2016 became one of the leading foreign destinations, remaining virtually the only visa-free country region. This season there is an increase in programs early booking amounted to 50%.

According to the Ministry of Tourism of Montenegro, Russians will come to the country without regard to NATO.

According to the Ministry of Tourism of Montenegro, the country’s accession to NATO should not affect visits to Montenegro by Russian tourists. Thus, most of the countries in the Mediterranean region are members of NATO and this does not affect tourism in any way. According to them, there was no such thing that tourists from Russia or any other country refused to come there on vacation because of this.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia reports that the number of tours booked by Russians for holidays in Montenegro and Croatia this summer has increased several times. Press secretary of the Russian Union of Travel Industry Irina Tyurina said that tour operators are reporting an increase in demand for tours to Montenegro by 40-50% for early booking promotions compared to 2016 figures. The Ministry of Tourism said that Montenegro has been one of the favorite tourist destinations in the world for years. Russian market. According to the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro, last year the country was visited by about 317,000 Russians, who spent 2.8 million overnight stays (4% more than in 2015).

In this regard, the ministry believes that transfers to Russian media, negatively showing the prospects for holidays in Montenegro, will not have an impact on the choice of Russians.

Let us remind you that Montenegrin media stated that a campaign has begun in Russia to scare tourists away from Montenegro. After Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Montenegro was sacrificing its economic relations with Russia by joining NATO, Russian TV channels began broadcasting programs aimed at scaring tourists away from vacationing in Montenegro. The Rossiya TV channel reported that Russian business is leaving the country, tourism is in decline, and the vacated space is being taken by crime. It was stated that criminal showdowns have become commonplace and both passers-by and tourists die in them. An article entitled “Crime, minefields and tetanus: why Montenegro is becoming dangerous for tourists” was published on the website of the Zvezda TV channel. It says that even the water in the country is of poor quality, and tourists are in wait Poisonous snakes with jellyfish.

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the ratification procedure for the protocol on Montenegro's accession to NATO will be completed in June. Montenegrin Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic said that his country, after joining NATO, intends to maintain a good relationship with Russia. According to him, Montenegro never wanted to have problems with Moscow. “I hope that Russia will look realistically and calmly at the fact that one small country has become a member of NATO. We never considered our entry into this bloc as the beginning of hostility with anyone. This simply meets our national interests, but at the same time we would like to maintain good relations with everyone,” Darmanovich said. Therefore, Montenegro does not consider its accession to NATO in the context of breaking ties with Russia.

Ask any questions about the tourist situation, in relation to Russians, about beaches, about restaurants, and whatever interests you, I will try to answer them and dispel (or confirm) all your fears and concerns regarding a safe holiday in Montenegro.

Good roads in Montenegro prevail over the bad ones, if you don’t leave the main highways, the roads look approximately like the photo I took on the way from Tivat airport to Budva.

The road is equipped with everything necessary, namely, there are clearly readable markings and road signs, there are information signs, there are storm drains, in some places there are pedestrian sidewalks, in particularly dangerous areas, bump stops are installed, and on the side of the rocks there are nets that protect passing cars from rockfalls.

Bad roads in Montenegro can be found in the mountains and in very non-tourist destinations. Bad Montenegrin roads look like the photo taken in one of the remote regions of the country.

You can see that the road surface has potholes, and the width of the road is so small that two small cars cannot pass on it. There are no markings on such roads, and in some dangerous areas there may be no bump stops, so you should be very careful.

The quality of Montenegrin roads is normal, but there are mountainous areas where the road width is too small, so that two small cars will not pass each other. In Montenegro, there is an unspoken rule: those who drive from the side of the cliff have the right of way, and those who move from the side of the cliff must back away and look for a pocket. These are mountains, we should respect each other here.

Outside the city you should be more careful; local residents often graze livestock right along the roads, and animals can run out onto the roadway. In addition to animals, there may be areas on the roads with poor visibility (sharp turns, hills with turns, etc.), there may be snow in the mountains (even in spring), there are long tunnels that do not always have lighting, etc.

There is a certain danger when driving at night (especially in the mountains); try to drive through dangerous sections of mountain serpentines in the daytime.

Again, there may be rockfalls in the mountains, it is impossible to prepare for them, it doesn’t matter what driving experience you have or what class of your car, everyone is equal in the face of rockfalls.

I do not recommend driving to the mountainous regions of the country for drivers without experience, but I advise driving along the coast. Read about the most popular car routes in Montenegro by following the link.

Local and international crime in Montenegro

In Montenegro, like in any country in the world, there is crime, but this fact should not be exaggerated. There are strange places where you can lose your wallet, your mood and your life in broad daylight (the favelas of Rio de Janeiro), and there are also those where you can safely spend the night on a bench in a public park (Monaco).

Look for information on the Internet about the latest terrorist attacks in Montenegro, or about the high-profile murders of tourists in Montenegro and you will understand that this did not happen in Montenegro. I think comments will be unnecessary here.

It is worth saying that the Montenegrin territories bordering Albania can be dangerous for tourists; in these places you should be more careful when communicating with the local population.

In the cities bordering Albania (Ulcinj), the vast majority of the population profess Islam, so a certain dress code should be observed, but without fanaticism. There (in the cities bordering Albania) you can find numerous communities of gypsies, who can be very intrusive; try to minimize any communication with this ethnic group.

All areas near Kosovo can be dangerous due to their unmarked minefields, visiting these areas should be done with a local guide.

Dangers of local fauna in Montenegro

Few tourists think about the dangers at the resorts of Montenegro, and who especially thinks about troubles on vacation. However, if you follow the usual precautions and have travel insurance, then serious complications can be avoided.

If you go on a hiking trip to the mountains or forest on your own (without a guide), then be careful; in Montenegrin forests you can find wolves, bears and several types of poisonous snakes.

Blog readers suggest that the photograph shown is not a snake, but a completely harmless blavor (Zheltopuzik). Blavor is a Balkan species of lizard that, for some evolutionary reason, has lost its legs. In Russia, this animal is in the Red Book, and in Montenegro it lives in abundance. Don't offend them.

If you decide to spend your entire vacation by the sea, then even in this case you should be careful; in coastal waters you can find sea ​​urchins, jellyfish and other sea creatures that may pose a danger to your body.

There is one simple rule: beware of any animals wildlife, about which you know little, then everything will be fine with you.

There is no “All inclusive” in Montenegro

Unlike Turkey and Egypt, where people go for the all-inclusive service, there is no all-inclusive service in Montenegro. Or rather, you can get this service in the most expensive hotels. You can also insist on providing you with all-inclusive services in more modest hotels, but be prepared to overpay for All Inclusive. Even in the most expensive Montenegrin hotels, the All Inclusive service may disappoint you. But why do you need all this when there are many restaurants and cafes around.

In Montenegro, as in most Balkan countries, the food is very tasty, and the portions are huge! In any restaurant and cafe you will always be greeted as a welcome guest, so there are no problems with food in the country.

If a travel agent offers you hotels with all-inclusive meals, then it is better to refuse such an offer. In any tourist city and resort in Montenegro, there are so many cafes and restaurants that it’s dizzying. Feel free to stop at small restaurants and try local dishes.

Don’t expect elite service in Montenegro

Tourist service in Montenegro clearly does not reach the European level; everyone who goes to this country on vacation should be prepared for this. If you are used to vacationing in France or Italy, then a lot will surprise you in Montenegro.

Four-star hotels in France and Montenegro are completely different things, and the star rating of Montenegrin hotels is very arbitrary.

Service in restaurants can be very mediocre, and the quality of service decreases with distance from tourist Budva. For example, they may bring you a salad at the same time as the hot dish or after it, or vice versa, the hot dish – 30 minutes after the salad. It seems that this is determined by the work of the kitchen, and not by your desire.

Montenegro is no longer a cheap country for a holiday

Montenegro has become an expensive country for tourists. Yes and no. In comparison with others European countries, holidays in Montenegro remain one of the cheapest. But for Russians, Montenegro became twice as expensive after the next crisis in 2014, and we all became twice as poor.

There is a slight increase in prices, if you earn in Euros or dollars, then this is not significant for you. But if your earnings are in rubles, then Montenegro for you (after the 2014 crisis) has become twice as expensive.

There is another explanation for the high cost of tourism in Montenegro for vacationers - these are the vacationers themselves. We ourselves raised prices in Montenegro, just as we did in Crimea, Sochi, Goa, Nha Trang, and anywhere else. A Russian tourist is afraid of seeming greedy; the broad Russian soul demands the same actions. Therefore, many Montenegrins and tourists from Russia consider them complete fools with full wallets.

A simple example, in Budva at the market - if you speak Russian, they will sell you grapes for 3 Euros, a Serb will immediately come up, ask how much, haggle - they will sell you for 1.5 Euros, not particularly embarrassed that you are standing next to you and see everything. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of, you’re Russian, you’re rich, you don’t care how much you pay.

If you only want beaches and pools, then Montenegro is not for you

Holidays in Montenegro involve mandatory “outings” on excursions, otherwise the whole point of coming to this beautiful Balkan country is lost. Unlike Turkey and Egypt, beach holidays in Montenegro are worse, there are much more people on the beaches, and the beaches themselves are inferior (both in terms of infrastructure and quality).

Relaxation on the hotel grounds by the pool can only be offered by the most expensive hotels, of which there are not many in Montenegro. If visiting excursions and exploring the country is not part of your vacation plan, then it is better to choose a more comfortable country for a beach holiday.

There is no comfortable tourist accommodation in Montenegro or it is too expensive

Many tourists who are accustomed to Turkish hotels, with their service and certain standards, may be quite surprised by the accommodation of tourists in Montenegro. Mostly tourists are accommodated in apartments, villas, private sector etc.

The most common tourist accommodation in Montenegro is apartments, not hotels. There is no reception, no attendant, no occasionally visiting hosts, or even a cleaning lady in the apartments. If problems arise, you will have to solve them yourself. When checking in, be sure to ask for the phone number of the owner of the apartment.

Of course, there are hotels, but the price tag for accommodation in Montenegrin hotels does not correspond to the level of accommodation. The level of comfort in Montenegro (with standard accommodation) is much inferior to other countries with beach holiday. A simple example, the standard change of bed linen in Montenegrin hotels is once a week, while in Turkey they can change it several times during the same period.

Not everyone in Montenegro speaks Russian

If you are traveling to beach resort, then you should not have any language problems. In all resort places they speak Russian, since most of the flow of tourists are Russian-speaking guests.

Difficulty arises when moving away from resort towns, here they may understand you, but this desire is strictly voluntary, it all depends on the desire of the opponent to conduct a dialogue with you. Despite the similarity of many Montenegrin words with the words of the Russian language (Bread, Tea, Yogurt, Chocolate, Honey, etc.), there are also words that are not so easy to understand (Carrot - Shargarepa, Pebble beach - Shlyunkovita plazha, umbrella - suntsobrane, etc.).

IN southern parts countries (closer to the border with Albania), they may speak English to you, but in other places English is not so popular among older people. Young people, on the contrary, know English much better and practically do not know Russian, so the Russian language in Montenegro is not so simple.

Concrete beaches in the resorts of Montenegro

One of the Montenegrin features is concrete beaches; at first you don’t understand how people are willing to voluntarily relax in such conditions, but then you get used to it and also don’t mind such beaches.

A concrete beach looks and sounds wild, photos from such beaches will not blow up your Instagram, but the principle of their operation is quite logical. The seashore is encased in concrete, there are sunbeds and umbrellas on the concrete, and tourists lie on the sunbeds under umbrellas. Descent into the water using a ladder or steps. This is certainly not the beach on Phi Phi Island in Thailand, but most vacationers like it.

The advantages of using concrete beaches are the following: convenient entry into the water, immediate depth; there is no ubiquitous sand.

The disadvantages of using concrete beaches are the following: very inconvenient for children; It’s very uncomfortable to lie on a towel, you’ll have to rent a sunbed.

Most concrete beaches are paid, most of these beaches are located in the Bay of Kotor, there is a concrete beach and in close proximity to Budva (12 kilometers from the city) - Ploce Beach.

The price of a sun lounger on the beaches of Montenegro is 50 Euro

Montenegro has enough place in the sun for everyone, but the cost of this very “place in the sun” may surprise you. In all tourist cities where there are beaches, there is also a tourist infrastructure, cafes, restaurants, car rental, sun lounger rental, etc.

The average cost of renting two sunbeds with umbrellas is 10 - 15 Euros, but there are exceptions. The most expensive sun loungers can be found on the beach of the Kraljicina Plaza Hotel (4 stars), for 120 Euros per day you will get two sun loungers and a half-empty beach.

On most beaches, sunbeds are rented until you leave. If you are going to leave, be sure to notify the beach staff and no one will take your place.

Montenegro has expensive markets

In Montenegrin markets, almost all products are more expensive than in shops and supermarkets, you need to be prepared for this and not be surprised by the price tags.

There are a number of reasons why market prices will always be more expensive than store bought ones:

• tourist demand - any market in a tourist city (Budva, Kotor, Tivat, Herceg Novi) is expensive, only tourists buy in these markets, local residents do not overstock here;
• rent - in tourist places with good cross-country ability, rent is always expensive, but the buyer pays for it;
• tourist season - in high season It's always more expensive in the markets than in the store.

The majority of buyers in Montenegrin markets are Russian tourists, this is especially evident in coastal resorts. Russians are accustomed to the fact that everything at the market is homemade, but if you look at the assortment of the Budva market, it will become clear that most of the products are imported.

Montenegrins themselves prefer to go for goods either to Podgorica or to the market in Bar, there are fewer tourists there and prices are much lower than in Budva, Kotor, Tivat and Herceg Novi.

These products can be safely bought at tourist markets in Montenegro (the rest is better in stores):

• Honey comb;
• kaymak and homemade cheeses with additives (with nuts, berries, etc.);
• pomegranate juice;
• nuts;
• dried fruits;
• local olives.

Expensive food in popular Montenegrin resorts

By European standards, Montenegro is not an expensive country, but it is worth noting the systematic increase in prices in coastal resorts. Tourists who were in Montenegro five years ago look with surprise at the price tags in restaurants and cafes, because then they were in completely different Montenegro.

Average prices in a restaurant in Montenegro per person (without alcohol):

• breakfast - from 8 Euro;
• lunch - from 15 Euro;
• dinner - from 19 Euro.

Seafood in Montenegro costs the same as in Moscow restaurants, and this despite the fact that most seafood is caught in coastal waters.

Average prices for seafood in a restaurant in Montenegro per person:

• snacks from fish and seafood – from 10 Euro;
• mussels – from 12 Euro;
• shrimp – from 15 Euro;

Cook for dinner with wine and seafood from 50 Euro for two.

For budget tourists, there is a good alternative to expensive cafes and restaurants; you can eat in local establishments. Look for a cafe that says “Set menu”, delicious goulash or chicken fillet with rice here they will cost from 3 Euros.

Average prices in cheap cafes and fast foods in Montenegro:

• set lunches – from 5 Euro;
• sandwich with fried meat and vegetables – from 3 Euro;
• sandwich with salmon and lettuce + glass of lemonade – from 4 Euro;
• medium pizza – from 3 Euro;
• sliced ​​Njeguš cheese – from 5 Euro;
• cold cuts (large portion) – from 10 Euro;
• medium portion of smoked pork ham (Prosciutto) – from 5 Euro;
• vegetable salad – from 2 Euro.

Is it dangerous for Russian tourists to vacation in Montenegro (my experience)

Friends, in your personal messages you ask about the political situation in Montenegro. Unfortunately, I don’t know what’s going on in the minds of Montenegrin politicians and how they treat Russians, and I’m not particularly interested in this. I’m ashamed to admit, but I don’t even know the name of the President of Montenegro.

In this part of the post I will tell you how they treat me ordinary people on the streets of Montenegrin cities and resorts, what they think about Russians and other things that are important for an ordinary tourist. This is my personal experience, yours may be slightly different.

Already being in Budva, I decided to check what anti-Russian sentiments really are in Montenegro. It happened in May at the most tourist resort in the country - Budva. My experience is a special case, but nevertheless it shows the attitude of Montenegrins towards Russians.

How I looked for a bus station in Budva

Pretending to be an inexperienced tourist, I approached the first pretty Montenegrin woman and asked how to get to the bus station; in fact, the Budva bus station was 200 meters away from me.

After asking several times what I wanted from her and where I was going to go from the bus station, the girl took me straight to the bus station and showed me where the ticket office was and where the exit to the buses was. Moreover, we had a nice chat about the weather, interesting places Budva, about who works by whom, etc.

How I looked for a post office in Budva

On the same day, I decided to once again check the anti-Russian sentiments of Montenegrins. This time I accosted a young couple who were walking in the center of Budva and enjoying each other’s company. The question was more complicated, I needed to pay the tourist tax for my stay in Montenegro and register at the Budva tourist office.

The Montenegrins explained how to get to the post office, and since they were just walking around the city, they gladly (at least it seemed so to me) took me straight to the post office (right to the doors).

How I looked for housing in Budva

There was also a funny incident when renting housing in Budva. In any country, it’s easier for me to speak English than to adjust to pronunciation and understanding local language, but in Montenegro speaking Russian is more convenient and profitable. Inspecting the next apartments and bargaining for long term renting an apartment, its owner inquired about my origin. When he found out that I was Russian, he was a little upset and said something like the following: “Brother, why didn’t you immediately say that you are Russi.” As a result, the monthly rent price was reduced by 100 Euros and free breakfast was promised as a bonus.

What do Montenegrin children think about Russians?

But what’s most striking is how anti-Russian the local kids are. Between Budva and Becici there is a tunnel in the mountain, which is decorated with children's drawings, among them I found this funny one (see photo). There is nothing to comment on here, just look at this children’s daub and you will no longer have any questions about the safety of your holiday in Montenegro.

What do Montenegrins think about their country joining NATO?

Most Montenegrins who were willing to talk to me about non-tourist topics clearly did not welcome their country's entry into NATO. Many said that the referendum that took place in Montenegro on the issue of the will to join or not to join was very opaque and many did not agree with it. My opponents (especially the Serbs) often talked about NATO bombings, but this was quite recently, people remember the recent war well.

In large Montenegrin cities you can see street graffiti, which clearly makes it clear the true mood of local residents towards NATO (see photo).

A very recent case of communication with the Montenegrin police. I’m walking from the Kotor bus station towards the Old Town and I see an “unowned” police car, the windows are open, there’s no one inside. This is not the first time I have seen a cop car on this corner, and I decide to take a few photos. I click a few pictures and then a man in a T-shirt and with a gun comes up to me, my first thought is “he’ll get to the bottom of it and demand that I delete the pictures.”

The man in the T-shirt and with a gun turned out to be the policeman from this car. After clarifying what country I was from, the policeman said that taking photographs of an empty car was not a good idea. At this point it seemed to me that they would still force me to delete the pictures, but then the events developed completely beyond my understanding.

The policeman introduced himself (some local name, he responded to Pavel) and asked if I wanted to take a few more pictures (at that moment I thought he was joking). Having received a positive answer, the officer reached into the car for his uniform and, with words of apology for his unusual appearance, began to hastily direct the “maraffe”. I didn’t understand anything at all what was happening, everything looked like some kind of tourist scam.

When the policeman got himself in order, he invited his partner as a photographer, who took several shots with my camera. Again, I didn’t understand what was happening here, but nothing bad happened to me.

The photographs were not taken away from me, I was not arrested or anything bad at all, now it’s time for the most important issues. I ask representatives of the Montenegrin authorities about anti-Russian attitudes in Montenegro. The cop looks at me like I’m an idiot and clearly doesn’t understand what to answer. I’ll formulate the question more politically correct: “Isn’t it dangerous for Russians to travel around Montenegro? Are Russians being offended in Montenegro?

In response I receive the following phrase (almost verbatim):

“Russians and Montenegrins are brothers, we are brothers. Who in Montenegro would think of offending Russians?”

These are the anti-Russian sentiments in Montenegro. I never thought that the phrase “I'm from Russia” could cause so much positive emotions and even more so from the police.

In public transport

I’m traveling from the island of Sveti Stefan to Budva by minibus, a little tired from the hot Montenegrin sun and generally in no mood. There are very few people on the small bus, some English-speaking young people and two Russian grannies. Before reaching the Becici resort, the old women were getting ready to leave, the driver carefully stopped the bus at the indicated place and uttered a phrase that “made my evening.” And he said the following (in Russian): “Thank you mom, goodbye.”

I hope that my horror story post didn’t scare you too much. Have a nice holiday in Montenegro!

Photos in this post belong to: batintherain / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and after it the Federal Agency for Tourism, called on Russians to refrain from traveling to Montenegro. Experts believe that the recommendation not to travel to the Balkans is an attempt to take revenge for Montenegro’s entry into NATO. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro stated that “there is no hostile attitude towards to the Russian people" The country is quite popular among Russian tourists; almost a quarter of foreigners vacationing in Montenegro are Russians. Nevertheless, representatives of the tourism industry interviewed “ Real time“They believe that the Foreign Ministry’s warning will not affect the flow of tourists. Russians living in Montenegro convince us that the country is absolutely safe.

Latest Chinese warning

Montenegro became “bad” back in April, then the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that “against the backdrop of a sharp decline in bilateral relations provoked by Podgorica, the expected registration of Montenegro’s membership in NATO in the near future, the initiative decision of the Montenegrin authorities to fully join the EU sanctions against Russia,” it notes a surge in “anti-Russian hysteria”, and an increase in negative attitudes towards Russians is also recorded. At the same time, Rostourism called on Russians planning a trip to Montenegro to “take into account the situation in the country and possible risks.”

This week, the Foreign Ministry issued another warning: “In conditions where anti-Russian hysteria continues to rise in Montenegro against the backdrop of a general regression in bilateral relations, we are forced to strongly recommend that Russian citizens think twice before traveling to this country.” The Federal Tourism Agency also issued a warning: the agency called on tour operators to “put at the forefront not immediate economic interests, but the safety of their clients, who may face serious threats in Montenegro.”

It is imperative to inform Russian tourists about the unfavorable situation in this country so that they can weigh the pros and cons and make an informed decision regarding their trip, the head said Federal agency tourism Oleg Safonov.

Oleg Safonov: “It is imperative to inform Russian tourists about the unfavorable situation in this country so that they can weigh the pros and cons.” Photo primamedia.ru

“People think that with NATO civilization will come here”

In response, the Montenegrin Foreign Ministry stated that “there is no hostile attitude towards the Russian people in the state.” The country is quite popular with Russian tourists, who are second in number after their closest neighbors, the Serbs. There are also Russians in Montenegro who moved there for permanent place residence. They were surprised to learn that they were under threat from their Russian relatives.

All this is funny to listen and read when you live here. Many of my friends are afraid to go. Whether the country has joined NATO or not, this will not change anything for Russian tourists, as they were treated well, they will continue to be treated,” says Dmitry Bullet, he moved to Montenegro in 2005.

According to him, some local residents reacted ambiguously to the decision to join NATO, but there is hope that the alliance will bring “civilization” and foreign investment to the country’s economy.

People think that civilization will come here, because the service here is not quite European yet, and since most people live off tourism, they want to develop, earn money, they expect that more EU citizens will travel, although they already drive well - says Dmitry.

As for the flow of Russian tourists, of which a quarter are in Montenegro, the 2017 season will be held with Russian tourists. Photo realmonte.net

“For money they say what the press needs”

He saw stories in the Russian media in which “local” Russians gave interviews about how bad it is here, and calls it black PR.

They saw a dirty river and they said that it was slop that poured into the sea every day - it was mud after the rains that flows from the mountains. Maybe there are unscrupulous people, but on a mass scale - this is not the case. Stories that someone’s business was taken away - I don’t know such people. And they let you run your business in peace, and there is no corruption. I would like normal journalists to come here, film a report, just ask local residents, and not those who will say anything for money,” says Realnoe Vremya’s interlocutor.

As for the flow of Russian tourists, of which a quarter are in Montenegro, the 2017 season will be held with Russian tourists.

The whole thing was launched in April, and the tickets and most of the apartments were booked at the end of winter. Maybe some people who are used to making decisions at the last moment will be scared off by this, but it will not affect the decisions of those who have been vacationing in Montenegro for a long time, says Dmitry.

Holidays for lovers of nature, not service

Tourism industry experts call Montenegro popular destination for tourists, the main advantages are visa-free regime And beautiful nature. But the country is small and, accordingly, the hotel base is small. Besides, swimming season quite short - July, August.

Rustem Tarzimanov: “In general, Montenegro has always been interesting for Russian tourists, they often fly from Moscow, we have a number corporate clients who fly there on business trips.” Photo by Roman Khasaev

For these reasons, make a reservation there - a big problem. For the same reasons, vacations are quite expensive; three stars in Montenegro will cost the same as five stars in Turkey. But in general, Montenegro has always been interesting for Russian tourists, there are frequent flights from Moscow, we have a number of corporate clients who fly there on business trips, says Rustem Tarzimanov, Sales Director of the Salavat Travel Services Bureau.

Tourists from Kazan, Tarzimanov notes, are not affected by the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there are no direct charters to Montenegro, and Tatarstan residents do not like to fly through Moscow. He is skeptical about statements about the “danger” of Montenegro for Russian tourists, believing that this is just an attempt to take revenge on the country for joining NATO.

According to general director travel agency "Persona Grata" Ramil Miftakhova, Montenegro is interesting for tourists who prefer to travel independently and go for a long period of time, and the recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not affect the tourist flow in any way.

You can rent apartments there cheaply, but services and food are more expensive there than in Spain, although the service leaves much to be desired. The recommendations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not affect demand in any way - whoever drives will drive. I was there myself, and I can say about the attitude towards Russians that the older generation is loyal, but pro-Western propaganda cannot help but influence young people,” says Miftakhov. However, he admits that he personally did not communicate with negatively minded people and did not encounter contemptuous attitudes towards Russians, but does not rule out the possibility that this could happen.

Daria Turtseva