Montenegro Opposition Denies Russia Behind Protests

An extraordinary session of the Montenegrin parliament on Wednesday will examine opposition claims that police used excess force in the demonstrations that rocked the capital over the weekend.

While parliament will discuss the "ongoing political crisis in the country", it will take place without the majority of opposition MPs, as the main opposition alliance, the Democratic Front, is boycotting the assembly.

At a closed-door session on Tuesday, a parliamentary committee questioned top security officials following accusations that police abused their powers with the demonstrators, arresting and beating up MPs and journalists.

The committee has asked the prosecution to deliver a legal assessment of the violent clashes and the Interior Ministry will review the police operation and sanction potential perpetrators of offences.

Led by the Democratic Front, demonstrators have been camping outside parliament for three weeks, calling for the resignation of Milo Djukanovic's government and early elections.

They demand the formation of a transitional government in place of Djukanovic, who has been at the centre of power since the early 1990s.

Protestors returned to the streets on Sunday, a day after police used tear gas to try to remove demonstrators from their camp near parliament.

At least three opposition leaders and several MPs were injured during the clashes, which erupted when protesters tried to march toward the parliament. Two MPs and three journalists were arrested.

The opposition announced on Tuesday that "tens of thousands of citizens" will gather on Saturday in front of the parliament and that they are sure that Djukanovic will resign.

Nebojsa Medojevic, one of the opposition...