Nationalism in Montenegro remains high, with the Roma population facing the greatest degree of ethnic distance, according to a report released Monday by the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM).
The report, Ethnic Distance in Montenegro, is part of an annual survey CEDEM has conducted for the past 18 years.
The findings indicate that while inter-ethnic tensions persist, there are signs of improvement. A decline in ethnic distance was particularly notable among people under the age of 30, and nationalism among the Albanian population has dropped significantly, the PR Center said.
“These trends suggest a slow transformation of public attitudes within certain segments of society, although major challenges still remain,” CEDEM Director Nevenka Vuksanović said.
According to the survey, Montenegrins continue to rank highest in terms of education and socioeconomic status, followed by Serbs. Bosniaks, Muslims, and Albanians rank lower by comparison.
“Nationalism levels are very high — around 70 percent of citizens agree that the survival of the nation is the primary duty of every individual,” Vuksanović said, noting that the highest levels of nationalism were recorded among Serbs and Bosniaks.
Compared to 2023, the overall level of nationalism remains largely unchanged, except among Albanians, where a marked decline was registered. Vuksanović attributed this shift either to reduced tensions influenced by the European integration agenda or to increased political representation in state institutions.
She also noted that a growing number of citizens are embracing a constructivist view of national identity, based on shared language and culture, rather than ethnicity or birthplace.
“Ethnic distance is still very present,” Vuksanović added. “The highest level of rejection is directed toward Roma, particularly in kinship relations, with more than 78 percent expressing unwillingness to accept Roma as family members.”
Montenegrins and Serbs show low levels of distance toward one another, while Albanians display a high degree of distancing from Serbs. Serbs, in turn, express significant distance from Bosniaks and Muslims, whereas Bosniaks and Muslims demonstrate near-complete mutual acceptance. Albanians also express a high level of distance toward Muslims.