Montenegro, a small Balkan country on the Adriatic coast, has undergone significant political and cultural changes throughout its tumultuous history. Despite being influenced by various foreign powers, its western orientation has played a crucial role in shaping the country's identity.
The country's history dates back to the 9th century, and over the centuries, it became an independent state known as Zeta and was ruled by various local dynasties. However, in the early 15th century, Montenegro began forging alliances with the Venetian Republic, beginning its western orientation.
Montenegro's strategic location on the Adriatic coast made it an important trading hub, which the Venetians saw as a valuable partner in expanding their influence in the Balkans. The Venetians helped Montenegro in its struggles against the Ottoman Empire, with Montenegro providing the Venetians with valuable military support. This relationship paved the way for Montenegro's western orientation, which continued to form alliances with other European powers, such as Austria and Russia, over the next few centuries.
Despite its western orientation, Montenegro faced challenges in the late 19th century when it became embroiled in a power struggle with Serbia over control of the Balkans. Montenegro ultimately supported the Entente powers in World War I. Still, it emerged from the war weaker than ever, with its territory reduced and forced to become part of the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Under Serbian rule, Montenegro's western orientation was severely curtailed.
Despite Tito's era, post-WW II, Montenegro maintained close ties with western Europe, particularly with neighboring Italy, which was seen as a cultural and economic ally. In the 1990s, as Yugoslavia began to break apart, Montenegro declared independence in 2006 and resumed its western orientation.One of the biggest dangers is that Montenegro's alignment with the West puts it at odds with Russia, which sees the expansion of NATO and the EU as a threat to its interests. Russia has been known to use various means to undermine and destabilize countries that seek closer ties with the West, such as cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and support for separatist movements. Montenegro has already experienced some of these challenges, with allegations of Russian involvement in a 2016 coup attempt aimed at toppling the country's pro-Western government.
Another danger is that Montenegro's Western orientation could exacerbate the country's existing political and social tensions. There are still significant differences between the various ethnic and religious groups in Montenegro. Some factions may see the country's alignment with the West threatening their interests. This could lead to increased polarization, social unrest, and even violence.