Serbia bans Montenegro flights amid escalating tensions

Serbian authorities have banned Montenegro’s national carrier from operating flights out of Belgrade after the small nation's government excluded Serbia from a list of countries with which Montenegro will reopen its borders after declaring an end to its coronavirus outbreak. The Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate said Montenegro Airlines planes cannot land at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport as of Wednesday. The aviation agency said unrestricted travel between the two countries has been “seriously violated” by Montenegro’s decision to ban Serbs from entering Montenegro. The flight and border entry bans come amid deepening tensions between the former Balkan allies, which existed as one state before Montenegro split off through a 2006 referendum. Montenegro Airlines planned to resume flights to the Serbian capital on June 1. Air Serbia, still has plans to fly to two destinations in Montenegro starting June 7. Story has more.<br/>