Montenegro Opposition Plans 'Siege' of Institutions

Montenegro's strongest opposition alliance, the Democratic Front, announced a fresh anti-government protest for Sunday in the capital, Podgorica, demanding the formation of a transitional government in place of Prime Minister Djukanovic, who has been in power since the early 1990s.

The rally is entitled "You are surrounded" and the organizers called on people to join them in a "siege of state institutions.

"The idea is to form a human chain of free people by which we will surround institutions, as well as some private companies," one of the Front's leaders, Andrija Mandic, said.

He added that after the rally, gatherings of the opposition will continue in other Montenegrin cities regardless of whether they have permission to organize the protests.

A senior police officer told BIRN on Tuesday that is not likely that the opposition will get such permission after previous rallies in Podgorica turned violent and protesters tried to enter the state parliament.

"After the clashes in Podgorica in October, security assessments does not go in favour of the opposition request to obtain permission for a rally," the police source said.

The opposition began 24-hour demonstrations in September, when protesters demanded the creation of an interim government to organise what they say would be Montenegro's "first ever free and fair elections".

The protest first turned violent on October 17, with police firing tear gas to disband the crowds.

The latest violence broke out on Saturday 24, after opposition MPs attempted to enter the parliament building but were prevented from doing so by police at the scene.

During the clashes between the protesters and police, three opposition MPs we arrested. Two of...