Montenegrin diaspora groups in Australia clash over identity

A dispute has emerged between two Montenegrin diaspora organizations in Australia regarding their names and legitimacy. The Montenegrin Ethnic Association of Australia, which has operated since 1996 in New South Wales, has formally notified the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Diaspora about what it describes as a “gross attempt to steal its identity.”

The Association claims that four individuals, who joined their membership late last year, registered a separate entity in Victoria called the Montenegrin Ethnic Community of Australia Inc. They allege this new group is using social media to use their historical name to cause confusion and seek unearned institutional legitimacy. The Association further claims its leadership has received aggressive threats.

In response, the Montenegrin Ethnic Community of Australia Inc. has rejected these accusations, stating that their legal status is a matter of fact verifiable through Australian authorities. They maintain that they are a legally incorporated association in Victoria and deny any claims of “parasitism” or “deceptive behavior,” asserting that the two organizations are distinct legal entities with different registered names.