Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is closely following the recent developments in Montenegro, after the country decided to temporarily suspend visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in response to a local incident.

In a written statement issued on Monday, the ministry said that contact with Podgorica authorities has been established immediately after the incident, which reportedly involved Turkish nationals.

“Following the recent regrettable events in Montenegro that affected some of our citizens, contact was promptly made with Montenegrin authorities, and necessary measures were taken to ensure the safety of our nationals,” the ministry said.

The statement underlined that Türkiye continues to monitor the situation closely and maintains uninterrupted coordination with Montenegrin officials.

According to Montenegrin media reports, a stabbing incident occurred in Podgorica over the weekend, allegedly involving Turkish citizens. In the aftermath, Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced on the social media platform X that visa-free travel for Turkish citizens would be temporarily suspended.

Diplomatic sources in Ankara emphasized that Türkiye expects the Montenegrin authorities to handle the issue in line with friendly relations and mutual respect between the two countries.

The incident has not affected Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad, the ministry added.(ILKHA)