PODGORICA – Prime Minister of Montenegro Duško Marković hosted a delegation of the European Parliament led by Chairman of the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee Vladimír Bilčík.
EP delegation had a meeting with PM Duško Marković and Speaker Ivan Brajović before the official start of the 18th EU-Montenegro SAPC.
“Montenegro understands the European context and works in line with its commitment as a modern country that is being developed democratically and economically as part of Europe,” PM Marković said, stated in Government’s press release.
Speaking about the situation following the adoption of the Law on Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Legal Status Religious Communities, the PM said that the Church in Montenegro places itself above the state, not recognising its sovereignty and independence, and expressing its ambition to decide on political actors or influence the election of the government.
“This is wrong, unacceptable and intolerable in the civilised world”, Marković told adding that the determination of the state authorities to preserve peace and stability, as they have done for the past thirty years, while respecting the freedoms of every citizen, but also maintaining the constitutional and democratic order.
Opposition separately with EP Delegation
According to Vijesti, representatives of the Montenegrin opposition met with EP Delegation. The boycott was discussed during the meeting and the opposition was told boycott of Parliament it was not one of the “European values.”
Leader of Democrats Aleksa Bečić told after meeting with EP delegate led by Vladimir Bilčik that the opposition raised the problems Montenegro’s faces and pointed to the complexity of the situation, especially due to the adoption of the Freedom of Religion Act.