Parliament in Montenegro votes out pro-Western ministers

The parliament of the Adriatic NATO country Montenegro has voted out the two pro-Western ministers in the previously cross-camp government.

The 41 pro-Serbian deputies of the 81-seat parliament voted late Friday to dismiss Foreign Minister Ranko Krivokapić and Defence Minister Raško Konjević.

Prime Minister Dritan Abazović accused the two members of the pro-Western Social Democrats of working against the interests of the government.

A bitter struggle for power is raging in Montenegro: The pro-Serbian and pro-Russian camps are trying to oust pro-Western President Milo Đukanović from office and bring him to court for alleged corruption. Đukanović had led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and into NATO in 2017.

Abazović's government is only in office on a caretaker basis after parliament withdrew its confidence in August. The prime minister is head of the small eco-liberal party URA, which originally presented itself as pro-Western. However, since coming to power through a change of coalition in April, Abazović has pursued a more pro-Serbian policy.

To the dismay of the pro-Montenegrin camp, he signed an ecclesiastical treaty with the Belgrade-led Serbian Orthodox Church, which does not recognize Montenegro's identity as a separate state.

New elections have not yet been called because there was no majority in parliament for the move.

Both camps are now looking ahead to local elections on Sunday, which will be held in 14 municipalities, including the capital Podgorica. After that, a consensus for new elections, possibly in January of next year, could emerge.