Montenegrin government

The Montenegrin government and the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Adriatic state might look like they are in a permanent state of conflict, but in fact they thrive on the tension, say analysts.

Rising Star
Bosko Obradovic. Photo: BIRN

One of the rising stars of the '1 of 5 million' protests, which have been going on for months in Serbia, is Bosko Obradovic, the leader of the right-wing Dveri party. Deeply conservative, claims to espouses traditional Serbian values and supports closer ties with Russia.

The Montenegrin government's decision on "economic citizenship" came into force on Tuesday, Montenegro-based website CdM is reporting.

An investor can get Montenegrin citizenship in several ways, including by making an EUR 100,000 payment to the account set up to finance "less developed local community unit."

Officials and politicians in Serbia on Sunday condemned Podgorica's decision to ban ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the unification of Serbia and Montenegro.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he doesn't understand the decision, which he said prohibits people in Montenegro from "thinking differently and having a different view of the past".

Both Croatia and Montenegro have said they are discussing the possibility of halting arms exports to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but neither has made a decision yet.

The party reacted to Serbian PM Ivica Dacic recent allegations and added that Serbia was actually actively campaigning against Montenegro and that they would "respond accordingly to these provocations."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered on Tuesday to help Montenegro "defend" its borders from a rising number of migrants and refugees, but his Montengrin counterpart said there was no need yet for a Hungarian-style fence.

After President Trump described Montenegro as a potential source of global conflict, the Montenegrin government said on Thursday that the country is proud of its friendship and alliance with the US, describing the relationship between the two countries as "strong and permanent".

As the Montenegrin government marks the first anniversary of NATO membership with a celebration in the royal capital Cetinje on Tuesday, for the large community of ethnic Serbs in the country, joining the alliance is still seen as an illegal decision that was imposed on them without a vote.

Connectivity among the Western Balkan countries will be the main topic of the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia on May 17, according to the Montenegrin government's platform, which BIRN has seen.