NATO to invite Montenegro tomorrow - a finger in Russia's eye

NATO will take a new major step towards expansion and further fuel tensions with Russia, when it officially invites Montenegro to join on Wednesday, writes The Guardian, as reported by the news agency Patria.

The British newspaper notes that Moscow has repeatedly assessed the Alliance's expansion as a provocation, and that Western officials believe the Kremlin is behind anti-government protests in Montenegro "in an attempt to steer the country off its path towards NATO."

"Nevertheless, the Montenegrin parliament voted for NATO membership and the authorities in Podgorica have implemented reforms of the armed forces and the defence ministry to facilitate accession," the newspaper states. 

It is expected that the 28 NATO ministers, who are opening a two-day meeting in Brussels today, will unanimously issue an invitation to Montenegro. 

After that, Montenegro will need between 12 and 18 months to complete the NATO accession process, 17 years after the Alliance bombed the country while it was part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 

"Montenegro has come a long way to join the Euro-Atlantic family. Sending the invitation will be a historic decision and it will be a signal of our continued commitment to the Western Balkans," said Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General. 

Stoltenberg could not say with certainty that the invitation would be sent on Wednesday, but diplomatic sources from The Guardian in Brussels indicate that the decision has already been made. 

The newspaper also recalls that Slovenia, Croatia and Albania are already full NATO members, and that Russia often expresses opposition to the Alliance's expansion, especially regarding the accession of former communist bloc members.