MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Montenegro’s decision to introduce visas for Russians will negatively impact the republic's tourism industry and its entire economy, Yury Pilipson, Director of the Fourth European Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with TASS.

"Potentially, such a decision could negatively impact not so much Russia's tourism industry as Montenegro itself, which remains a popular destination among Russians. We are talking about the risk of losing several percent of the country's GDP, which, in turn, will hurt financial and economic indicators overall," the diplomat noted.

The diplomat clarified that this "painful effect" is due to the priority Montenegro's tourism sector places on the country's budget.

Pilipson recalled that when mentioning plans to introduce visas for Russian citizens Montenegrin representatives explained that "this step is conditioned by Podgorica's pre-accession commitments to the European Union."

"This is a clear example of how the demands of the European bureaucracy run counter to the real interests of a particular state," the diplomat noted.

Commenting on the possibility of Moscow's response if a visa regime is introduced, Pilipson noted that he "would not like to talk about countermeasures in advance," but if Podgorica implements its plan, the Russian side will respond.

On Montenegro's decision

Earlier, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic stated that the country would "soon" bring its visa regulations into line with EU requirements, despite attempting to delay their implementation.

Later, the Montenegrin Embassy in Russia announced that Podgorica plans to introduce visas for Russian citizens by the end of September 2026. Currently, Russian citizens can enter Montenegro without a visa for up to 30 days.