May calls for tougher stance on Russia after Montenegro coup plot

A FOILED coup plot to assassinate the prime minister of a Balkan nation shows that Europe must do more to tackle Russian meddling in the region, Theresa May has said.

The Prime Minister said turmoil in the Balkans would threaten Europe’s security as she called for more action on organised crime and Russian subversion.

Both the British and Montenegrin governments believe Russia was behind the failed plot to kill Montenegro’s leader at the time, in order to sabotage the country’s march towards joining Nato. The plan had been to strike on the day of the country’s parliamentary elections in October, with local nationalists attacking the parliament and killing Milo Djukanovic.

Montenegro’s special prosecutor has said “Russian state bodies” hatched the plot and accused two Russian military intelligence officers of overseeing it. The Kremlin said the allegations were absurd and unsubstantiated.

Speaking at the European Council Meeting in Brussels, Mrs May said: “In light of the alleged Montenegro coup plot, I will call for us to do more to counter destabilising Russian disinformation campaigns and raise the visibility of the Western commitment to this region.”

She said she would tell European nations “about the potential for increased instability in that region and the risks that presents to our collective security”. Mrs May also said Britain would hold a summit on the western Balkans next year and ramp up its security ties with the nation.

The country of around 600,000 people said it suffered sustained cyber attacks against state websites on the day the foiled coup was due to take place, and then faced another wave of attacks in February.

Montenegro hopes to become Nato’s 29th member as early as May and then join the European Union early next decade. However, Russia has lobbied hard against the country joining the Western military alliance and tried to secure access to the Adriatic port of Bar for itself.

The Montenegrin authorities arrested about 20 people, mostly Serb nationalists, after breaking up the plot, but said the two Russian intelligence officers were on the run.

‘In light of the alleged coup plot, I will call for us to do more to counter Russian disinformation campaigns’