Montenegrin President Warns Will Initiate Dissolution of Government If It Signs Fundamental Agreement with Serbian Orthodox Church

Milo Djukanovic(Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has said that he intends to initiate a vote of no confidence in the cabinet of Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic soon if it signs a Fundamental Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church that is contrary to Montenegro's interests.

In an interview with N1 TV on July 29, Djukanovic said the text of the Fundamental Agreement adopted by Abazovic's government contained parts that "counterfeit the history of Montenegro" and that an agreement that he would find acceptable to sign would not include interpretations of history.

"We have clearly said that the state interests of Montenegro are not sufficiently protected in the text of the Fundamental Agreement," Djukanovic said and added that several parts of the text violated the Constitution and laws of Montenegro. In the event that a vote of no confidence in the government is successful, the Montenegrin parliament will continue to function until a new election in 60 to 90 days, Djukanovic said.

On the subject of relations between Belgrade and Podgorica, Djukanovic told N1 that "Serbia's state policy must accept that Montenegro is an independent state with the right to choose its own path."