A motion of no confidence was passed by Montenegro’s parliament, following a rift over a long-disputed deal regulating ties with the powerful Serbian Orthodox Church. The motion, which paves the way for the end of the current government and the start of a new round of political unrest in the Adriatic nation, passed shortly after midnight on Saturday (22:00 GMT Friday) with 50 votes. Only one lawmaker voted against it, while the rest of the 81-seat parliament boycotted the measure. “We need elections and a stable government,” said MP Danijel Zivkovic, who tabled the motion and called for the vote of confidence. The proposal came just months after a no-confidence vote in February that ended the rule of another coalition government. It was not immediately clear whether the fall of the government would lead to early parliamentary elections or whether the parties would try to form a new governing coalition. Political tensions have simmered in Montenegro for weeks after the government signed a controversial new agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC). The agreement covered a range of issues, including measures to provide a regulatory framework for the hundreds of properties – including churches and monasteries – owned by the SPC. The country’s prime minister, Dritan Abazovic, welcomed the deal, saying the accord would hopefully normalize relations between divisive groups within the country, particularly pro-Serb and pro-Western parties. Criminal groups that finance some political parties were behind the impeachment motion to prevent his government’s anti-corruption campaign, Abazovic said after the vote. “This country will be run by either criminals or civilians,” he said. “And I am sorry … that organized crime in Montenegro still uses its tentacles to regulate political relations.” “I’m very proud of everything we’ve done in 100 days,” Abazovic added. “We will be remembered as the government that lasted the shortest, but made the most difficult decisions.”
Flash point religious issues
The SPC is the dominant religious institution in the state, but opponents accuse it of serving the interests of neighboring Serbia. The issue is sensitive for many in the Balkan nation of 620,000 that broke away from Serbia in 2006. However, a third of the population identifies as Serb and some deny that Montenegro should be a separate entity. President Milo Djukanovic has long been a staunch opponent of the SPC and has been accused of wanting to nationalize the church’s assets. For weeks, Djukanovic – who is currently in the opposition – has used the deal as a hood to destabilize the government and push for early elections. Religious issues are a constant flashpoint in Montenegro, with previous governments toppled over disagreements over the SPC. The country has long seen identity battles, including last year when protesters calling themselves “Montenegrin patriots” tried to prevent the swearing-in of a new SPC leader in Montenegro. Djukanovic, the architect of independence, was keen to limit the influence of the SPC in Montenegro and establish a separate national identity, including his own independent Orthodox church. Political strife in Montenegro has hindered progress towards EU membership. In 2017, Montenegro defied its former ally Russia to join NATO.
