On October 27, the Montenegrin authorities canceled the visa-free regime established for Turkish citizens in an accelerated manner. The reason is the stabbing of a local resident in Podgorica, in connection with which two citizens of Turkey and Azerbaijan were arrested. After the incident, several hundred people gathered at the scene, chanting anti-migrant slogans, inciting retaliatory attacks against property belonging to Turks and acts of mass vandalism. Later, law enforcement agencies arrested another 45 citizens of Turkey and Azerbaijan for other offenses.
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic has announced that in order to maintain economic activity and good bilateral relations, intensive negotiations with Turkey will begin in the near future to find an optimal solution that will be mutually beneficial and in line with the spirit of cooperation and alliance. So far, it has been decided to temporarily stop visa-free entry for Turkish citizens to Montenegro. Currently, citizens of Turkey can stay in that country without a visa for up to 90 days.
In recent years, the Turkish presence in Montenegro has grown significantly. According to the country's statistical service, Montenegro is home to more than 13,000 Turkish citizens, and Turkish entrepreneurs own approximately 6,900 registered companies, nearly 28% of all foreign businesses.
