Milo Djukanovic

A leading conservative newspaper in Britain on Sunday said it had obtained exclusive information from the top levels of the UK government that Russian intelligence was behind a plot to kill the then Montenegrin Prime Minister on election day and derail the country's accession to NATO as its 29th member.

Several hundred people gathered in front of Montenegrin parliament building on Wednesday as lawmakers inside passed a motion to strip the leaders of the pro-Russian opposition Democratic Front alliance, MPs Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic, of their immunity from prosecution.

The opposition announced its boycott ahead of a parliamentary session on Wednesday at which Montenegrin lawmakers are expected to vote on a motion to strip two opposition leaders of their immunity from prosecution over their alleged involvement in a coup attempt on election day, October 16.

The civic movement URA on called for an urgent meeting of all opposition parties after a parliamentary committee approved a request to lift the immunity of two opposition leaders suspected of being involved in the alleged coup attempt on election day in October.

Several anti-NATO opposition parties are to endorse businessman Miodrag Daka Davidovic as the leader of a joint electoral list to challenge the pro-Western ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic at local polls in Niksic on March 12.

Leader of Montenegro's ruling DPS party Milo Djukanovic says Moscow "tried to cause bloodshed on election day in Montenegro."

Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti is reporting that the former Montenegrin prime minister and president thinks Russia's goal was "to achieve increased influence in the Balkans" and thus "settle a score" with the West.

Serbian police arrested Nemanja Ristic, 43, and Predrag Bogicevic, 47, on Friday on suspicion of terrorism and in line with an arrest warrant issued by Montenegro, the police announced.

After almost year and a half in detention on drug smuggling charges, Montenegro has freed crime reporter Jovo Martinovic, his family confirmed to BIRN on Thursday.

Martinovic was released on Wednesday to face his ongoing trial before a court in Podgorica on drug-related charges that he has several times denied.

The Montenegrin government informed parliament on Wednesday that it will withdraw a bill on public holidays which was to include a state holiday to mark the birth in 1813 of Njegos, a bishop, prince and poet who ruled Montenegro in the 19th century.

The Montenegrin prosecution on Tuesday said an arrest warrant had been issued for five persons in connection with "terrorist" activities - including plans to kill the former Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic on election day, October 16.