Politics of Montenegro

A former prime minister of Montenegro has appealed to the European Union to curb Russia's "destructive" influence in the Balkans.

Milo Djukanovic made the statement on March 14, several months after what prosecutors said was an attempted coup to overthrow Montenegro's pro-Western government and prevent the country joining NATO.

The Montenegrin Assembly has voted to lift the immunity of leaders of the opposition Democratic Front Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic.

The country's special prosecutor requested this as the two members of the assembly are suspected of involvement in an alleged plot that included plans to carry out terrorist attacks during election night in Montenegro last October.

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 Montenegrin Assembly has voted to lift the immunity of leaders of the opposition Democratic Front Andrija Mandic and Milan Knezevic.

The country's special prosecutor requested this as the two members of the assembly are suspected of involvement in an alleged plot that included plans to carry out terrorist attacks during election night in Montenegro last October.

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.

BELGRADE - A Montenegro prosecutor received parliamentary approval yesterday to strip immunity from two opposition leaders who are targeted in the investigation of an alleged coup attempt on 16 October, when general elections were held in the Balkan country.

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.

BELGRADE - At this point, bilateral relations between Serbia and Montenegro are better than ever in the past 20 years, Montenegrin PM Dusko Markovic said on Friday, adding that Podgorica was not making decisions against others, but that it had to pursue its own interests.

Montenegro's Special Prosecution for Organize Crime on Monday questioned one of the leaders of the pro-Russian opposition, asking him to supply "additional explanations" about an alleged coup plot that unravelled in the country on election day.