A Balkan state summit between the EU, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia takes place in Sofia Thursday.
The aim of the EU is to put momentum back into the relationship between the six Balkan states, that are interested in joining the EU.
Montenegro has been the most pro active and has therefore established itself as a leader.
This week we will focus on the small Adriatic country, starting with the Montenegrin expats here in Luxembourg: Annick Goerens was in Rumelange for us.
And there are many:
Official statistics show 4,197 Montenegro passports were registered on the 1. January 2018, this greatly surpasses all other Balkan states.
Serbia is in second place with approximately 2,300 passports. According to estimates, 8,000 Montenegrins live in the Grand Duchy, most of whom possess Luxembourgish nationality.
Remizija Camic, the honorary Montenegrin consulate to Luxembourg stated that Luxembourg and Montenegro are not that different. Montenegro is a small country with not a lot of residents, but like Luxembourg, it is rich in culture and has a range of religions.
Most Montenegrins have managed to settle and integrate well into their communities in Luxembourg. In the south of the country one can even find several second and third generation Montenegrins, and this is where one of the largest Montenegrian clubs, the Bihor Club, can be found. The club has more than 200 members, plus their families.
Edin Latic established his own business in 2006 and tells of his story in Luxembourg: “I arrived in this country in 1994 and lived in Schieren. In 2006, I had the idea to start my own company. We started with two people and have grown to employ over 20. I am the vice-president of the Schierer Pétanque club called the Schierener Bellettien. I am happy with the people there, they are so friendly. Pétanque is always like that, people are always so friendly and I feel I am properly integrated into the group.”
The reason that Montenegrin and Luxembourgers get along so well could be because they aren’t as different as one may think.
“Montenegrin communities are really friendly, welcoming and open people. They have a huge mix of ethnic backgrounds and cultures which is also applies to Luxembourg” explains Marc Zenner who has been married to a Montenegrin since 2001.
It is no surprise that the majority of Luxembourgish Montenegrins support their old home country joining the EU. They think it is a good idea because there are lots of opportunities that become available to them by joining.
RTL-News: EU-Sommet: De klengen Adria-Staat Montenegro ënnert der Lupp
