Ambassador Nebojsa Rodic of the Republic of Serbia has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro following a controversial post made on the official account “Serbia in English,” which is managed by the Serbian government’s Office for Public and Cultural Diplomacy. This diplomatic engagement is reportedly linked to a statement concerning Montenegro’s language policy.
The post, shared on January 28, 2026, included a video clip featuring a meme with the character Homer Simpson. It claimed that Montenegro does not recognize the Serbian language, which is spoken by approximately 43 percent of its citizens, asserting that this language is the “majority language” according to the latest census. The post further questioned, “Respecting the majority language rights is also an EU value, isn’t it?” This remark coincided with the announcement that Montenegro had closed 13 chapters in its negotiations with the European Union.
According to sources cited by the Montenegrin publication Pobjeda, the government interprets this social media statement as an inappropriate intervention in its internal affairs, particularly given its origin from an official channel of the Serbian government. The timing and content of the post have raised significant diplomatic concerns, prompting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Montenegro to seek clarification on Serbia’s stance.
Ambassador Rodic has historically refrained from making public comments on Montenegro’s internal political and institutional matters. Thus, during his meeting with Montenegrin officials, it is expected that he will be asked to provide an explanation regarding the position articulated through the official Serbian account.
As of now, there have been no official responses from either the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro or the Serbian Embassy in Podgorica concerning this diplomatic discussion. The implications of this situation may influence future relations between the two nations, especially in light of ongoing discussions surrounding language and identity within the region.
