Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro

Tensions went up by a notch during elections in Montenegro Sunday when police said they had arrested 20 Serbian nationals, accusing them of intent to destabilize the country by terrorism.

"These persons are suspected... of acts to create a criminal enterprise and terrorism," DPA quotes national police director Slavko Stojanović says in a statement.

BELGRADE - Montenegrin police say they have arrested 20 people suspected of planning armed attacks after voting closes in parliamentary elections, RFE/RL reports.

National police director Slavko Stojanovic said on October 16 that those arrested late on October 15 came from neighboring Serbia.

Montenegrins are heading to the polls on Sunday in a key test of potential EU and NATO membership.

More than half a million voters, in a country of just 0.6 m, are eligible to vote, showing their assessment for the tenure of Prime Minister Milo Đukanović.

Singer Zdravko Colic sparked sharp criticism in Montenegro after Djukanovic's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS on Monday posted a video from his concert in Cetinje at which the star openly supported the party for the October parliamentary elections.

For the first time in almost two decades, the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, will run in the elections alone under its leader Milo Djukanovic - who hopes for a seventh term as prime minister.

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 Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and his ministers will not attend Monday's session of parliament, devoted to a government refuffle, following a conflict with the pro-Russian opposition Democratic Front MPs who insulted him.

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.

Montenegro's main opposition alliance, composed mostly of pro-Serbian parties, said it will launch round-the-clock protests against the new interim government, which is going to be formed next week by the ruling coalition under Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and four opposition parties - DEMOS, civic movement URA, Socialdemocratic party and Socialist People's Party.

Montenegro's quarrelling parties have agreed to sign a landmark deal on the conduct of the next elections by April 9.

Under the terms of the agreement, the opposition will get ministerial seats in the cabinet and representatives in important state institutions.