Montenegrin President’s Party Withdraws Support From Prime Minister Abazovic’s Cabinet

PODGORICA, July 11. (DPA/EP) –

The Montenegrin government is in crisis after President Milo Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists (PDS) declared it is withdrawing its support from Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic’s cabinet.

The decision comes after the Montenegrin government signed an agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church, whose leadership does not fully recognize Montenegro’s independence.

Although the draft agreement would normalize relations with the church, disagreements over it now could lead to the fall of the government.

Most religious people in Montenegro are members of the Belgrade-controlled Serbian Orthodox Church.

Abazovic, who heads the small liberal green party URA, heads a minority government that relies on PDS support for the country’s pro-Western president, Milo Djukanovic.

The PDS has the strongest group in parliament, but, along with its pro-Western allies, it does not command the absolute majority of 41 of the 80 deputies needed to pass a no-confidence motion against the Abazovic government in April.