Montenegrins

The protest is both a struggle for political dominance in the country, and a battle for political influence inside the Church. Finally, the protests reveal the deep discontent of many citizens with the broader situation in the country.

One tonne of cocaine was seized aboard the Ares ship in Venezuelan waters.

Montenegrin nationals are arrested, the Montenegrin State Police Service said.

The Office points out that is a result of a multi-month international action initiated by the Montenegrin police in cooperation with the Dutch, British and Serbian police.

Media reports say the manager of Serbian Real Madrid football player Luka Jovic, and his associates, have been charged with money laundering and offences against the public purse in Spain. 

Abdilgafar Fali Ramadani, the German-born Macedonian manager of Jovic, oversaw his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Real Madrid for 60 million euros in 2019. 

Metropolitan Amfilohije, the Serbian Orthodox Church's most senior bishop in Montenegro, has called on citizens not to vote for those who supported the contested Freedom of Religion law in coming elections. 

During a Church-led protest against the law on Sunday, Bishop Amfilohije also again urged the government to withdraw the law which parliament passed late last year.

Montenegro Army Chief General Dragutin Dakic has told television Vijesti that any soldiers or officers taking part in recent protests against the new law on religion risked being forced out, as there was no place in the military for those who want to defend the Church from the law.

In addition, members of the Montenegrin Army should exert influence on their family members and discourage them from attending protests against the Law on Freedom of Religion.
This, as Novosti finds out, is only part of an order issued by Brigadier General Dragutin Dakic, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Montenegro, at a meeting of his staff on February 6th.

He stated that the position of the Episcopal Council, the clergy, the faithful and the citizens who participate in the liturgies in that country is to go all the way till the goal is achieved, and that is - the "victory of Christ".

In the first such meeting since the country's parliament adopted a new law on religion in December, Metropolitan Amfilohije, the Serbian Orthodox Church's top bishop in Montenegro, has met the Prime Minister, Dusko Markovic, and submitted a list of proposed changes.

"This law de facto and de jure forms the legal framework for the nationalization of the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the territory of Montenegro", Pilsel said in Ljubljana at a lecture entitled "Relations between the state and churches/religious communities in the Western Balkans", he held in the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies - IFIMES.

Serbia's Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin attended a commemoration in Montenegro on Tuesday to mark the 20th anniversary of the murder of Yugoslav Defence Minister Pavle Bulatovic in 2000.