NATO Welcomes Montenegro's Conviction For 2 Russians Accused Of 2016 Coup Attempt

NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu praised on Friday the sentencing of two Russian nationals allegedly involved in a coup attempt in Montenegro in 2016, which Russia has repeatedly qualified as baseless

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th May, 2019) NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu praised on Friday the sentencing of two Russian nationals allegedly involved in a coup attempt in Montenegro in 2016, which Russia has repeatedly qualified as baseless.

The Supreme Court of Montenegro convicted Eduard Shishmakov and Vladimir Popov on Thursday of attempting to organize a coup in the country, sentencing Shishmakov to 15 years in jail and Popov to 12 years, both in absentia. The court claimed that the Russian nationals had intended to "jeopardize the foundations of the social system of Montenegro and to prevent Montenegro's accession to NATO." Meanwhile, Montenegro joined the alliance on June 5, 2017.

"Here's my reaction to the sentencing of those involved in an attempted coup in #Montenegro in 2016: any outside interference to undermine our democracies is completely unacceptable.

Every nation has the sovereign right to choose its own political and security arrangements. Montenegro is a highly valued member of NATO and all Allies stand in solidarity against any attempts to disrupt our democratic institutions," Lungescu wrote on Twitter.

Montenegro announced in fall 2016 that it had foiled a coup attempt by people from Montenegro, Serbia and Russia during the Montenegrin parliamentary elections. The prosecutors insisted that the detainees were planning to kill then-Prime Minister Milo Dukanovic and seize power in order to prevent Montenegro from joining NATO.

The Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, has said that Montenegro is accusing Russians of coup attempt in order to justify for the people of Montenegro the government's desire to join NATO.