Latest News from Montenegro

Pope Warned Montenegro Over Religion Law, Serbian Church Claims

As the battle continues in Montenegro over a controversial new law on religion, the country's largest faith body, the Serbian Orthodox Church, has claimed that Pope Francis asked the Prime Minister not to adopt the law before obtaining the consent of all religious communities in Montenegro.

Miodrag Daka Davidovic – Montenegrin Businessman with Powerful Foes

Joanikije, bishop of the city of Niksic in Montenegro, is an outspoken critic of Montenegrin leader Milo Djukanovic and of his plans to support the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, a feared rival to the dominant Serbian Orthodox Chuch.

Ascent began in wars of 1990s:

Montenegro Jails Yugoslav Soldier in Rare War Crimes Verdict

Montenegro's Court of Appeal on Wednesday upheld the verdict sentencing ex-soldier to Vlado Zmajevic to 14 years in prison for war crimes against the civilian population in Kosovo.

Zmajevic, who was a member of Yugoslav Army forces fighting in Kosovo, was found guilty of the murder of four ethnic Albanian civilians in the village of Zegra near Gjilan/Gnjilane during the war in 1999.

Montenegrin Justice Minister has Final Say on ‘Gulenist’ Extradition

The Justice Minister of Montenegro must decide whether to extradite an alleged supporter of the exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulenist to Turkey, after the Appeal Court in Podgorica on Monday rejected his appeal against the earlier ruling of a local court.

Balkan States No Strangers to Russian Spy Games

A clandestine meeting, bags exchanged, cash in an envelope - Russia appeared to have been caught red-handed this week in an espionage operation targeting the Serbian army.

Montenegro Proposes Lifting Curbs on Ethnic Minorities’ Symbols

The proposed new Law on the Use of National Symbols was submitted to the Montenegrin parliament on Friday after controversy caused by fines imposed on people for flying the Albanian flag.

Serbian Ex-Soldier Goes On Trial for Kosovo Killings

Former serviceman Predrag Vukovic, alias Madzo, who was arrested in Montenegro last year, appeared for the first time at Belgrade Higher Court on Friday at the trial of Yugoslav Army ex-soldiers for war crimes in Kosovo in May 1999.

Serbia Still Putting Children with Disabilities in Institutions: Report

More than three quarters of children living in state institutions in Serbia are children with disabilities, according to the latest United Nations Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty.

At 77 per cent, Serbia ranks joint third with Hungary behind Turkmenistan and China in a total of 57 countries analysed.

Montenegro Expels Albanian for Flying National Flag

The Montenegrin police directorate said that the Albanian national was expelled on Sunday for disrupting public order and breaching the peace by displaying the Albanian national flag at the Chestnut Festival in Ostros in the municipality of Ulcinj.

Turkish Threat over ISIS Fighters Poses Challenge for Balkans

Burak Bilgehan Ozpek, a professor of international relations at Ankara's TOBB University, said that, like the issue of Syrian refugees and their flow through Turkey to the European Union, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would use the ISIS fighters as leverage for Western acquiescence to his policy on neighbouring Syria.

Montenegro, Italy Turn on Undersea Power Cable

The presidents of Italy and Montenegro ceremonially turned on an undersea power cable connecting the two countries via the Adriatic sea on Friday, making Montenegro a Balkan energy hub at the flick of a switch.

For Kosovo, England Match More than Just Football

While Sterling and Co were met with monkey chants and Nazi salutes from the terraces in Sofia, Bulgaria, last month, they face being feted as heroes by the home fans in Kosovo on Sunday, where Britain remains revered for its role in 11 weeks of NATO air strikes that drove out Serbian forces two decades ago and for its work in cementing Kosovo statehood since the territory declared independence