Election Deal Talks to Resume in Montenegro

Montenegro's leaders are to meet yet again next week to try to resolve the crisis in the country following the failure of a no-confidence vote in the government in January.

The crisis, Montenegro's worst since it gained independence in 2006, revolves around opposition claims that the government has no legitimacy to organize general elections planned this year.

The opposition accuses the government led by Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic of election fraud and misuse of state funds for party purposes.

It demands the formation of a "government of electoral trust", oversight over the National Security Agency, the ANB, the National Election Commission, the Department of Employment, the Anti-Corruption Agency and the public broadcaster, RTCG.

Talks between Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and opposition parties have become stuck over who should control the public broadcaster.

The opposition seeks the dismissal of the director and editorial team of the television news programs, whom they accuse of biased reporting.

The opposition also wants the post of chief inspector of the National Security Agency.

Both the public TV and the security agency are considered vulnerable to abuse during election campaigns but Djukanovic's party is not ready to give up its influence on them.

The speaker of parliament and leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party, Ranko Krivokapic, said an agreement on conditions for organizing free elections could be reached this week if the DPS signs up for it.

"Now it's take it or leave it," Krivakapic said, although he did not disclose the latest opposition offer to Djukanovic.

For Djukanovic's party, however, a key condition for resuming...