SNP

Montenegrin parliament session in Podgorica. Photo: Parliament of Montenegro

In their appeal to the Constitutional Court, the ruling majority of 41 MPs in the 81-seat parliament claimed that Djukanovic had violated the constitution.

Montenegrin Prime Minister-Designate Dritan Abazovic in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Nikolic said that a new minority government must be formed by next week, and the negotiations were taking too long.

Local elections on May 20 in the tiny northern town of Pluzine, which just over 2,500 voters, are being seen as an important trial of strength both for the opposition and ruling parties in Montenegro.  

Pluzine is the only town in Montenegro where the country's ruler for several decades, Milo Djukanovic, and his party, have never won either a general or local election.

Former politician Mladen Bojanic will run as an independent candidate for the April 15 presidential election in Montenegro with the support of almost all opposition parties in parliament.

The development brings together normally divided opposition groups in the country and may increase their chances of winning the election against an unknown ruling party candidate.

The European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

Three main opposition groups in Montenegro say they will join forces to fight in the general election scheduled for October 16.

The "democratic coalition" unites three parties and groups considered civic and moderate in their orientation - the Civic Movement URA, DEMOS and the Socialist People's Party, SNP.

Montenegrin lawmakers on Wednesday  will meet to approve a new cabinet after the ruling and opposition parties agreed on forming a transitional government to organize parliamentary elections by the end of this year.

It is expected that MPs at the same session will adopt a special law to legally define the implementation of the agreement and how state resources can be used.

After almost two months negotiations on a new authority for the city between the two national ruling parties the Party of Democratic Socialists, DPS, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP, collapsed on Wednesday, the capital could face new elections.

SDP leader Ranko Krivokapic, who is also the speaker of parliament, said new elections are "the most realistic option at this point".

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.

Danilo Tvrdisic, a leader of the right-wing Dveri movement, has called on Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to cancel the Gay Pride Parade scheduled for May 31, to avoid clashes in Belgrade.

"We have called on Vucic to cancel the parade as no normal person in Serbia would like to see a war in the streets of Belgrade or the destruction of property," Tvrdisic said.