"News": The fate of the Basic Agreement of Montenegro with SOC is still uncertain

Montenegro flag photo MIA

The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has not yet decided what he will do if the Government of Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic adopts the text of the Basic Agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church the day after tomorrow, regardless of the opposition of the party whose support depends on the survival of the Government , writes the Podgorica newspaper "Vijesti".

And while the signing of the Basic Agreement with the SOC is still uncertain, the Government declares to the newspaper that there are no obstacles to signing such an agreement with the Montenegrin Orthodox Church even though it is not recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

"SPC is registered with the Ministry of Justice like any religious community. There is nothing controversial about that - from the point of view of the state, they are a religious community", the government told the Podgorica newspaper, after Prime Minister Dritan Abazović yesterday called on the unrecognized CPC to sign an identical agreement as the government announced it would sign with the SOC.

The Archbishop of Cetinje and the head of the unrecognized CPC Mihailo yesterday told Podgorica media that he will not sign an agreement "which does not guarantee religious services in Montenegrin sanctuaries".

At the same time, the ambassadors of the EU states expressed concern that the signing of the Basic Agreement with the SOC could cause political instability and lead to the "fall" of Abazović's Government.

Before the executive power in Podgorica discusses the Basic Agreement with the SOC, the document must be approved by the Political System Commission chaired by the Vice President of the Government and Minister of Defense Rasko Konjevic from the SDP.

According to the Rules of Procedure of the Government, the Commission decides with a majority of the members present at the voting. If the document does not pass that body, it should not go before the Government. However, as reported by the Government to "Vijesti", the Prime Minister has the right to put the material on the agenda even though he did not receive the support of the Commission.

Abazović's Cabinet has confirmed for the newspaper that the Government will decide with a qualified majority according to the Basic Agreement, although this is not provided for by the Rules of Procedure, but is in accordance with the coalition agreement of the parties that form the government.

They agreed on issues of "vital state and national interest" such as the Basic Agreement, the regional initiative "Open Balkans" and the census that the Government should take decisions in exactly that way.

The President of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, reiterated yesterday that the Government should not rush the decision to sign the Basic Agreement with SOC. He told the media that the current version of the agreement is not acceptable for the party he leads.

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