Serbs of Montenegro

BELGRADE - Montenegro is a friend to Serbia and Serbia is a friend to Montenegro, Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic said in Belgrade on Monday, noting that his visit to the Serbian capital turned a new page in Serbia-Montenegro relations.

Montenegrin government members at a parliament session in November 2016. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Special State Prosecution spokesperson Vukas Radonjic said that the suspects, who at the time were members of a government commission, violated internal procedures on loan repayment agreements with state officials.

Democratic Front leaders Milan Knezevic (L) and Andrija Mandic (R) at a pre-election rally in Podgorica, Montenegro in March. Photo: EPA-EFE/BORIS PEJOVIC

Defence lawyer Miroje Jovanovic asked the court to separate the proceedings against Mandic, Knezevic and Mandic's driver Mihailo Cadjenovic from the other ten defendants as the secret files apparently do not relate to them.

This was reported by the Montenegrin portal CdM, and this information was confirmed by the president of the Montenegrin Helsinki Committee, Miodrag Vlahovi, who expressed his respect for Akovi for that decision.

The signing of the fundamental agreement between Montenegro's government and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Abazovic signed the agreement with Church Patriarch Porfirije on Wednesday in Podgorica, stressing that all religious communities should have equal rights.

According to earlier media reports, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije arrived in Podgorica on this occasion.
The fundamental agreement was signed by the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovi, and the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije.

Montenegrin Orthodox Church liturgy in Podgorica. Photo: Montenegrin Orthodox Church

After Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic on Tuesday called for negotiations about the agreement with the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Mihailo said that it must be treated the same as the Serbian Orthodox Church, the largest Orthodox community in the country.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic (L) and Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije (R) meeting in Montenegro.Photo: Government of Montenegro

The largest ruling party, the Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, criticized the draft published on Tuesday as too favourable to the Church, the largest faith group in Montenegro.

Montenegrin government session in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

During the government session on Friday, Social Democratic Party ministers complained that they had not been kept informed about the Ministry of Justice's negotiations with the Serbian Church, the largest faith group by far in the country.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic at the commemoration in front of the daily 'Dan' building in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro.

The editor-in-chief and owner of the daily newspaper Dan, well known for his opposition to the then government, was shot dead on leaving his office in Podgorica on May 27, 2004. He had received numerous death threats.