Vucevic: Segments of society in Montenegro still Serbophobic

PODGORICA - Serbian Progressive Party leader and former Serbian PM Milos Vucevic says the question of Serbs in the region is primarily related to the position and the rights of Serbs living outside of Serbia, as well as the position of Serbs in the territory of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo-Metohija.

"The main obstacles to a resolution of issues are, unfortunately, a lack of sincere political will from some regional stakeholders, historical revisionism and a denial of the Serbs' status as a constitutive nation in some countries where that position is guaranteed by the constitution, as well as double standards by the international community," Vucevic, who is also the presidential adviser for regional affairs, told Podgorica-based Borba daily in an interview.

Commenting on the position of Serbs in Montenegro, Vucevic said it was in a "phase of recovery" following decades of systematic discrimination.

"However, it is far from ideal. They (the Serbs) still face challenges in terms of full equality, proportional representation in institutions and the status of the Serbian language. Some segments of society in Montenegro are still Serbophobic, but I believe that will change over time," Vucevic said.