Zoran Pazin

The legislative committee of Montenegro's parliament endorsed on Tuesday a draft law on freedom of religion, the last hurdle before the legislation is debated by lawmakers on Thursday over fierce objections from the Serbian Orthodox Church, SPC.

Hundreds of Serb priests and monks protested in front of parliament before the committee session demanding the bill's withdrawal.

According to the Montenegrin police, 20-year-old, whose initials are S.V., has been arrested and taken before a prosecutor in Kotor.

The Belgrader is suspected of committing the criminal act of attacking an on-duty official person.

Montenegrin Justice Minister Zoran Pazin said on Friday that Montenegro had asked Moscow to allow its the special prosecutor to examine two Russian nationals suspected of having played a leading role in last October's alleged coup.

Montenegrin Justice Minister Zoran Pazin on Thursday said the government had adopted a bill on forfeiture of criminal assets, which aims to tackle the economic power of those behind corruption and crime.

The asset forfeiture law allows the government to seize and keep cash, cars, real estate, and any other property through the so-called freezing procedure.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Montenegro's commitment to regional security and cooperation and thanked the country for its continued contributions to the Alliance's Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.