Head of Montenegro Islamic Community Feyziç: “Visa restrictions on Turks are part of a planned project”
The President of the Islamic Community of Montenegro, Rifat Feyziç, criticized the Montenegrin government’s recent visa restrictions on Turkish citizens, describing the move as a premeditated and politically motivated action rather than a response to an isolated incident.
Speaking at the “Under Our Sky: Meeting of Balkan Scholars II” event organized by the Islamic Scholars Foundation in Edirne, Feyziç addressed the Montenegrin government’s decision to temporarily suspend visa-free travel for Turkish nationals following reports of a stabbing incident allegedly involving Turks.
“Anti-Turkish Sentiment Is a Century-Old Issue in the Balkans”
Recalling the protests that erupted in Montenegro after the alleged incident, Feyziç noted that demonstrators chanted slogans such as “Turks out!” — rhetoric he said has persisted in the region for over a century.
“The slogan ‘Turks out’ has existed in the Balkans for 100 years — since the Ottoman withdrawal,” Feyziç said. “In this context, ‘Turk’ does not only refer to ethnicity but also serves as a coded message toward Bosniaks and Albanians. In the Balkans, ‘Turk’ means ‘Muslim.’”
“A Well-Planned Political Operation”
Feyziç argued that the situation was orchestrated to incite fear and hostility toward Turks and Muslims in Montenegro.
“They claim that 110,000 Turks have arrived in Montenegro, while the total foreign population is only around 100,000,” he explained. “Politicians, influenced by external powers, are trying to alarm the public by labeling all foreigners as ‘Turks.’ In fact, there are more Serbs, Russians, and Ukrainians than Turks in the country — Turks rank only fifth or sixth in numbers.”
According to Feyziç, certain media and political circles have deliberately portrayed Turks as a problem group:
“They spread the idea that Turks are troublesome and commit crimes, even though data shows otherwise. New details about the alleged stabbing are emerging — it’s possible that Turkish citizens were not involved at all. Imposing visa restrictions and scaring some Turks into leaving Montenegro is part of a well-prepared project. The Montenegrin state is not justified in this move; it is acting unjustly toward Turks.”
Background
Montenegrin media recently claimed that Turkish nationals were involved in a stabbing incident in Podgorica, prompting Prime Minister Milojko Spajić to announce on social media platform X that visa-free travel for Turkish citizens had been temporarily suspended.
However, the Podgorica High Court later stated that the two Turkish nationals initially detained in connection with the incident had no involvement and were released from custody.
