In 1858, after the Battle of Grahovo, new borders were determined with the help of Russian and French diplomats, against the interests of the Albanians and Ottoman authorities of the region. Among others, the Albanians of Niksic feared the new borders as the threats of the Zupa Montenegrins would increase. Two Albanians of Niksic protested against this, and they were Mujë Ajvazi and Agë Ljuca. The Albanians of Podgorica and Gucia were not allowed to participate in the negotiations of the new borders, thanks to French Pan-Slavist diplomats. Later, in 1864, the Montenegrins would continue to pillage the Albanians of Ispiç (Spiç, Spizza).

Cited:

“As a result of highly contentious negotiations, the most difficult section of the border, the Grahova-Benan section, was determined in early August. The Zupa border works were completed on August 10, and the Derbenak border works were completed on August 11, and the road to Taşlıca was moved on.

This area was indeed contested. The Muslims of Nikşiç saw their own existence in danger if Župa was left to Montenegro. Nikşiç Muslims Mujo Ajvazović (Mujë Ajvazi) and Ago Ljuca (Agë Luca) voiced the public’s outcry by saying, “We do not want to draw a border between Nikşiç and Župa.”

However, they were unable to prevent the ceding of Župa to Montenegro. The border demarcation commission completed its fieldwork on August 24 and returned to Raguza, where the commission’s office was located. However, a final map could not be agreed upon in Raguza either. The work carried out on the Montenegrin border was initially termed “tanzimnâme,” but in September, the term “tahdid” (limitation) began to be used.

This expression, used even in official correspondence, is significant in demonstrating the point reached by the Ottoman government in six months. More pressing issues such as the state’s financial crisis and the “Memleketeyn Question” played a significant role in this transformation within the Ottoman government. To resolve the problems, Ottoman Foreign Minister Mehmed Fuad Pasha went to France, which opposed the Ottoman government on every issue, and there he met with the French Foreign Minister.”

Albanians of Podgorica and Gucia were not given an opportunity to decide border due to the French Slavophile diplomats.

“The commission began by dividing the areas to be mapped into areas. The commission then split into two groups. Representatives from the Ottoman Empire and the Great Powers conducted their own independent studies. Then, the Ottoman representatives met with commissioners from other powers, accompanied by Montenegrin experts, at a designated location on the border to discuss the boundaries they had determined.

When the French and Russians attempted to realize their claims against Montenegro, Austrian support attempted to overcome these obstacles. However, the French commissioner insisted on the boundaries they had determined, and almost always, his word prevailed, and the border passed where the Montenegrins had indicated. Ahmed Cevdet Pasha explains how this practice was implemented as follows:

“The Koç district is divided into two parts, namely, Zîr and Bala. The testimony of the people of the two sides was taken as the basis for the determination and demarcation of the Karadağ concession line by a mixed commission. At that time, since the Koç people were in rebellion and subject to Montenegro, the people of Podgorica could not come to the border. Based only on the testimony of the Montenegrins and the Koç people, who were subject to the an, the definite border remained on the side of Koç, namely, Zîr and Bala, respectively. However, the State Commissioner did not confirm this.

The Vasovik district is divided into two parts, namely, Zîr and Bala. It is distinct. When the border was demarcated by the commission of mixed powers to be a privileged line for Montenegro, Vasovik-i Bala was left on the Karadağlu side and Vasovik-i Zîr was left outside. However, although the testimony of the people of the parties was essential in the border determination, the Gusine people were unable to come to the border, so the demarcation was made solely on the testimony of the people of Vasovik.

However, this part of the border was not approved by the State Commissioner…”

Montenegrin attacks on Ispiç (Albanian Spiç, Spizza) in 1864

“As Ahmed Cevdet Pasha so eloquently describes, the border determination led to new conflicts at many points. For example, clashes continued in 1864 due to the division on the Ispiç (Spizza) side of the border. “

Source

KARADAĞ DEVLETİ’NİN DOĞUŞU: OSMANLI-KARADAĞ SINIR TESPİTİ (1858-60) ZAFER GÖLEN). “KARADAĞ DEVLETİ’NİN DOĞUŞU” https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/969729