Dragging Montenegro Into NATO Proves Open Door Policy Alive - Russian Envoy

Montenegro's case of dragging into the NATO has proven that the open door policy is alive despite its' alleged erroneous nature, Russian envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko told Sputnik Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Montenegro's dragging into the NATO is an attempt to show that the open door policy is alive and well despite the fact that many understand its erroneous nature, Russian envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko told Sputnik Monday.

"Attempts to drag Montenegro into NATO is nothing more than the desire to show that the open door policy is alive… It is clear to everyone that, as of now, this policy has completely exhausted itself, it not only failed to eliminate or erase the dividing lines in Europe, it deepens them, and, speaking of our country, these dividing lines only move closer to us," Grushko said in an interview.

The Russian envoy added that there were more and more voices questioning the added value that Montenegro's membership would bring to the Alliance's security.

"Once again, this is pure geopolitics, and, unfortunately, this geopolitics is aimed at putting own geopolitical interests, as NATO understands them, above the European ones," the envoy stressed.

The Balkan nation is expected to join NATO in 2017. The authorities plan to decide on the membership not through a referendum, but through a parliament elected in October 2016.

Montenegro was invited to join the military bloc in 2015. In May 2016, the Alliance members signed a protocol on Podgorica's accession, which should be ratified by all the NATO member states to allow Montenegro become a full-fledged member.