Montenegro will offer citizenship to people who invest more than 500,000 euros ($662,650) in the tiny Balkan country, the government said Tuesday. The “economic citizenship program” is designed to attract businessmen to move their companies to Montenegro, which has a population of 600,000, the government said on an official website. The government said the move underscores Montenegro's openness to foreign investment. But opponents criticized the government idea. Opposition leader Nebojsa Medojevic alleged it would “only attract tycoons and corrupt politicians on the run” and undermine Montenegro's credibility abroad. Montenegro already has granted citizenship to former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled corruption charges at home and who has promised to invest in Montenegrin tourism. Last year, it was among the Balkan countries whose citizens were granted visa-free travel to the 27 EU nations.
