Milan Knezevic

Police in Montenegro on Friday arrested the mother and cousin of a leader of the opposition Democratic Front, Milan Knezevic. Media reports said that retired teacher Ratka Knezevic, 70, was detained at the family home in the village of Mojanovici, near the capital, Podgorica. 

In a gesture seen as provocative towards the Montenegrin government, the Serbian Defence Minister, Aleksandar Vulin, handed a medal on Sunday in Belgrade to a prominent opposition politician in Montenegro who the government considers a coup plotter.

Knezevic, a fierce critic of the three-decade-long rule of Djukanovic, was one of two Front leaders, along with Andrija Mandic, convicted in the first-instance ruling of involvement in a failed coup in 2016, which the authorities claim originated in Russia. They have appealed their sentences. 

The prosecution had previously assigned the same measure to another MP of Democratic Front (DF), Milun Zogovic.
DNP leader Milan Knezevic is currently at the hearing, Podgorica based "Vijesti" reported. Mandic and Knezevic were arrested last night on suspicion of committing criminal offense of preventing an official from performing his official duties.

Three pro-Serbian opposition deputies, Andrija Mandic, Milan Knezevic and Milun Zogovic, were brought before prosecutors in Montenegro on Friday to be charged over an incident in the country's parliament before a vote on the new law on religion.

They were found guilty of plotting to commit "terrorist acts" and undermine the constitutional order during the parliamentary elections in October 2016, with a view to overthrowing the government and preventing Montenegro from joining NATO.

Prosecution 'carried out Djukanovic's orders'

Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik also participated in the conversation with Madic, an opposition politician from Montenegro.

Belt UpThe Chinese national flag Photo:EPA-EFE/WU HONGG

The Higher Court in Montenegro on Thursday sentenced 13 people, including two Russian military intelligence officers and two opposition leaders, to up to 15 years in prison for staging an attempted coup in 2016.

They were found guilty of plotting to commit "terrorist acts" and undermine the constitutional order of Montenegro during the parliamentary elections in October 2016.

And when that happens, it is a catastrophe for everyone, according to the Serbian president.