- Montenegro Introduces Visas for Citizens of Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey
On 23 July, the Government of Montenegro adopted a Decree amending the visa regime, under which citizens of Belarus, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey will require a visa to enter Montenegro from 1 November 2026. Thus, the current visa-free regime for citizens of these countries will remain in force only until 31 October 2026.
“Montenegro has fully harmonised its visa policy with the visa policy of the European Union, thereby fulfilling one of the final benchmarks for the closure of the negotiating Chapter 24—Justice, Freedom and Security—as well as one of the key commitments under the Reform Agenda. This has confirmed our country’s commitment to European integration, and the conditions have been created for the release of approximately four million euros under the European Growth Plan for the Western Balkans,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro stated.
A Montenegrin visa will be obtainable not only at Montenegro’s diplomatic and consular missions, but also at VFS Global visa application centres, which will significantly simplify the procedure and make it faster and more accessible, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted. The Ministry also reported that it is working on a new Visa Information System, “which will be fully compatible with the information systems of the European Union and harmonised with the security standards of the Schengen Area.” The ultimate objective of this project is to introduce an electronic visa system, or e-visa, which will make it possible to submit visa applications electronically.
The abolition of the visa-free regime for Russian citizens angered official Moscow. The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Podgorica described the decision of the Government of Montenegro as an “unfriendly act” and the current state of relations between the two countries as “a crisis.” “Russia remains open to considering any proposals aimed at overcoming the crisis in bilateral Russian-Montenegrin relations, which arose through no fault of its own. At the same time, we reserve the right to respond appropriately to unfriendly actions,” the Russian Embassy said in a statement.
- Hungarian Government Initiates Investigation into Concessional Loan to North Macedonia
Loans totalling one billion euros were granted two years ago by the country’s previous government, headed by Viktor Orbán. The funds were provided through the state-owned Eximbank.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar explained that, at the current exchange rate, the concessional loan to North Macedonia amounts to slightly more than 360 billion forints, while the interest rate under the agreement is 3.25 per cent. These terms are far more favourable than those on which Hungarian companies and citizens obtain loans, as well as those on which the Hungarian state itself borrows.
According to the Prime Minister, the concessional loan agreement will cost the Hungarian budget more than 90 billion forints because of the difference between the market interest rate and the subsidised interest rate for North Macedonia.
The loan risk is covered by a 100 per cent Hungarian state guarantee, while Eximbank itself classified North Macedonia as a country presenting significant risk.
Péter Magyar stressed that, instead of supporting Hungarian businesses, the Orbán government had granted a concessional loan amounting to several hundred billion forints from public funds to a country classified as high-risk. “There are suspicions that the previous government used public funds intended for Hungarian businesses to support foreign-policy allies and friendly trade structures,” the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasised. He made it clear that he expected a thorough investigation to determine where taxpayers’ money had gone.
At the same time, according to an investigative report by journalists, Hungary provided the €500 million loan to North Macedonia from a loan it had received from China in the spring of 2024. According to the journalists, Hungary and Viktor Orbán’s government acted as intermediaries for Chinese financial and geopolitical influence in the Western Balkans.
- Albania to Take Out a US$302 Million Loan from the United States to Modernise Its Armed Forces
On 27 July, the Parliament of Albania approved a US$302 million loan agreement with the United States aimed at modernising the country’s armed forces. The funds will be used to purchase weapons and military equipment in accordance with the operational needs of the Ministry of Defence. It is envisaged that the funds will be used to purchase products from US manufacturers.
Seventy-four members of the ruling Socialist Party voted in favour of the agreement.
The lawmakers considered the agreement during a closed session under an accelerated procedure. According to representatives of the ruling majority, this procedure was necessary because the accompanying documents contained classified information, as well as to avoid missing the deadlines set by the US partners for the first stage of financing.
After the vote, the leader of the Socialist parliamentary group, Taulant Balla, stated that the first deliveries of military equipment were expected in September.
Members of the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the session, calling the procedure unconstitutional, although they stated that their objections concerned only the manner in which the agreement was ratified, rather than the substance of the agreement or the strategic partnership between Albania and the United States.
The leader of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, Gazment Bardhi, criticised the lack of transparency, stating that opposition lawmakers had not been given access to the full agreement before the vote. Nevertheless, he described attracting the funds as necessary, stating that Albania needed such investment.
- Members of the Serbian Armed Forces Undergo Training in the United States
Units of the Ohio National Guard, a company of the Hungarian Armed Forces, a reconnaissance unit, and staff officers of the 1st Army Brigade of the Serbian Armed Forces took part in the exercises at Camp Grayling in the state of Michigan.
During the two-week training, the main focus was on testing and improving the capabilities of command staff, while operational units practised tactical battlefield operations on the ground.
As the Serbian Ministry of Defence reported, the Serbian Armed Forces and the Ohio National Guard have successfully cooperated for two decades under the Serbia–Ohio State Partnership Program. “Joint training is just one of many different cooperation areas that help enhance armed forces’ capabilities and contribute to the development of overall relations between the Republic of Serbia and the United States of America,” the Ministry of Defence noted.
The exercises in Ohio took place against the backdrop of the launch of the Strategic Dialogue between Washington and Belgrade, which provides for expanded cooperation in the military sphere.
- Sanctioned Russian State Foundation Distributes Propaganda Literature to Schools in Serbia and Republika Srpska
The Russkiy Mir Foundation distributed educational literature to dozens of schools in Serbia and Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina where Russian is taught. Among the books distributed was “On Russia and Russians: A Reading and Area Studies Textbook for Learners of Russian as a Foreign Language“. The textbook, published in 2021, describes the annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea as the “return of the Republic of Crimea to Russia” and also defines Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are part of Georgia, as “independent countries.” These claims contradict Belgrade’s official policy, under which it states that it respects the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Georgia.
In a comment to Radio Free Europe, the Serbian Institute for the Improvement of Education and Training stated that the book in question has the status of supplementary material and had not been submitted to the Institute for expert assessment “in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Law on Textbooks.”
The Russkiy Mir Foundation was established by decree of Vladimir Putin in 2007 and is financed by the Government of the Russian Federation. In 2016, the European Parliament recognised the Foundation as an instrument of Kremlin propaganda used to denigrate democratic values, divide Europe, and spread disinformation. In 2022, following Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the European Union decided to impose sanctions on the organisation. Nevertheless, the Foundation continues to operate in Serbia and Republika Srpska without any restrictions.
