Zdravko Krivokapic

Von der Leyen will stay in Serbia for two days, while on Thursday she will meet with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic.
President of the European Commission began her Balkan tour with a visit to Tirana on Tuesday, ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit on October 6th. After Tirana, von der Leyen also visited North Macedonia.

Ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit on 6 October, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen will be in the Western Balkans between Tuesday and Thursday, to visit Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, EC Press service reported.

Montenegrin PM Zdravko Krivokapic and his deputy Dritan Abazovic in parliament. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Krivokapic said that economic stability and European Union membership must be the key goals of the new government - which unlike the current non-partisan cabinet, will be made up of political party officials, as the Democratic Front and Democratic Montenegro have demanded.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic and the ruling majority MPs in the parliament. Photo: Government of Montenegro

In a joint statement on Thursday, the Democratic Front, DF, and Democratic Montenegro said the new cabinet should have both non-party and party ministers.

Reshuffling the Cards

Montenegrin PM Zdravko Krivokapic and Deputy PM Dritan Abazovic in a police camp training. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Montenegrin PM Zdravko Krivokapic and Deputy PM Dritan Abazovic at a police training camp. Photo: Government of Montenegro

With four seats in parliament, Abramovic's civic Black on the White coalition is the smallest member of the 41-member ruling coalition, which has a majority of one in the 81-seat chamber.

Montenegrin government session in Podgorica. Photo: Government of Montenegro

"The Montenegrin Statistical Office will hold the census of Montenegrin citizens and of foreigners living in Montenegro who have permanent or temporary residence in Montenegro. Among other things, data on ethnicity, language and religion will be collected," the draft law proposal says.

Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Joanikije is enthroned in Cetinje Monastery, Montenegro. Photo: Serbian Orthodox Church

Police used tear gas to break up the protests, while media reported that the former head of the police, Veselin Veljovic, was among those arrested.

Montenegrin PM Zdravko Krivokapic (left) with police officials. Photo: Government of Montenegro

Krivokapic filed his criminal complaint against Veljovic on Wednesday for calling on police officers to support protests during the Orthodox Church ceremony in Cetinje, the old royal capital of Montenegro

Flamingos in the abandoned salt plantations near Ulcinj, Montenegro. Photo: Center for the Protection and Study of Birds

Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic said the government's Privatization and Capital Projects Council rejected the request of the bankrupt private salt company Bajo Sekulic for property rights to the area.