Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro

Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, scored its latest local government poll win on Sunday in Herceg Novi, a town on the Montenegrin-Croatian border.

Although no party won an absolute majority in Sunday's poll, it was clear that the united opposition list had lost its majority for the first time in 14 years.

Montenegro's ruling parties, the Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, are to sign an annex to their coalition agreement next week, aimed at ending long-standing disputes over policy.

After an 18-month delay and four failed votes in parliament, Montenegrin MPs looked set on Tuesday to finally elect a new Supreme State Prosecutor.

Supreme Court Judge Ivica Stankovic was tipped to take over as head of the state prosecution office, tasked with cracking down on organized crime and corruption - on which the European Union wishes to see much more progress.

Talks on government personnel changes could be completed in the second half of October , BIRN has learned from a source in the Montenegrin government, ending in a vote on the government's reconstruction in parliament.

The Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party agreed on Sunday to form a city government in the capital, ending a political crisis that threatened new local elections.

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Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said on Sunday that his ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, could sign an agreement on forming an administration in Podgorica by the end of July, ending the deadlock which has left the capital in limbo since the mayor and city management’s mandate expired in mid-June.

Montenegro's Basic Court on Friday temporarily banned distribution of the editions of Informer in which Vanja Calovic, the head of a prominent NGO and a well-known government critic, is accused of bestiality - although the newspapers have already been on sale for some time.

A group of around 100 Montenegrin journalists, opposition leaders and human rights activists protested on Tuesday against what they called the "shameless campaign" against Calovic by daily newspaper Informer.

Đukanović "to step down, when circumstances normalize"

PODGORICA -- Milo Đukanović has been quoted as saying that he is at the helm of Montenegro's government "against his will and affinities."

Furthermore, he said he "hoped" to withdraw from this position "after circumstances in the country normalize."

The EU Enlargement Commission on Monday said the EU delegation in Podgorica would monitor implementation of a grant given to the NGO MANS, following complaints by the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS.

"As a grant recipient, MANS is responsible for implementing the project in accordance with the applicable national law," spokesperson Peter Stano said.