Russia is trying to influence domestic politics in Europe and beyond - Montenegrin minister

RIGA - Russian attempts to influence domestic politics are taking place in every European country and elsewhere, Filip Ivanovic, Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Montenegro, told a press conference on Thursday when asked whether such attempts had been observed in his country.

Ivanovic, who on Thursday met with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity), underlined that Montenegro's main foreign policy goal is accession to the European Union (EU). The Montenegrin minister believes that any attempt to influence this objective will fail.

Ivanovic explained that the Montenegrin parliament supports the country's EU integration, so every decision related to the bloc, including those on a common EU foreign and security policy, is taken almost unanimously. Equally important, he said, is the high level of public support for the EU, which currently stands at around 83 percent.

"I doubt anyone could offer anything better than the EU. Our people and political elite hope that the accession process will be concluded as soon as possible, on the basis of the reforms made, and that we will soon be a member of the EU", said Montenegro's deputy prime minister.

The Latvian foreign minister pointed out that Russia's attempts to interfere not only in European elections, but also in the elections of other countries are clearly visible and documented. Russia is also trying to influence the cyber environment, carrying out cyber attacks, information operations and acts of sabotage. Braze said that this is also happening in Latvia.

"We expect Russian activities to intensify ahead of next year's parliamentary elections. It is up to our country and society to be aware of this and to prevent it," Braze stressed.

She stressed that Russia's activities can be very diverse, including attempts to undermine support for Ukraine and to spread narratives about corruption in Ukraine. Russian influence can also manifest in relatively atypical ways, such as activists' protests, or other ways to sow divisions in society.

"This is the reality we live in. It is the cheapest way to influence a domestic political process. The most important counter-measures are the strength and common sense of society, situational awareness, and the effective functioning of the services," said Braze.