(VOVworld) – NATO’s membership offer to Montenegro has caused an angry reaction by opposition parties in Montenegro. It has also strained relations between Montenegro and Russia.

The offer to make Montenegro NATO’s 29^th member was made at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels early this month. Negotiations on Montenegro’s membership are expected to be completed in early 2016. Ratification by parliaments of all NATO members will officially make Montenegro a new member of NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO’s open policy will promote regional peace, security, and stability and that the offer to allow Montenegro to join NATO is not against any country, particularly Russia. He added that no third party should be allowed to interfere in decisions made by sovereign countries. Montenegro’s government said NATO’s offer is good news which will benefit the Balkan region. In addition to Montenegro NATO is considering offering membership to other countries in the Balkans including Bosnia Herzegovina, Macedonia, and Georgia.

Thousands of supporters of pro-Russia opposition parties in Montenegro have demonstrated against the offer and called for a referendum. Many carried the banner “Say no to war-say no to NATO”. Leaders of the Democratic Party are warning that Montenegro will be pushed to the verge of conflict if a referendum is not held. Russia says NATO’s eastward expansion would be a negative step in Europe’s security and in Russia-Montenegro relations. Russia says NATO’s initiative may lead to confrontations and complicate Russia-NATO relations. Moscow threatens to abolish joint projects, including projects in military technology with Montenegro and says it will increase its combat readiness and defense capability and continue to contain NATO’s development around Russia.

NATO’s membership offer to Montenegro was made amid tensions over the Ukraine crisis. NATO has responded to the war in eastern Ukraine with fortified military policies in a number of former Soviet Union countries. Observers agree NATO’s membership offer to Montenegro is a problem for Russia, who considers NATO’s eastward expansion a threat to its security.

Montenegro which has a population of 600,000 Montenegro declared independence from Yugoslavia in 2006. Russia has close relations with Montenegro and thousands of Russians are living there. But relations became strained when Montenegro supported EU sanctions against Russia. Tensions in bilateral relations are expected to increase over the next few days when Russia will likely take steps in retaliation for NATO’s eastward expansion efforts.