Montenegro Registers Violations By 43 People Rioting Against Top Cleric's Inauguration

The Montenegrin police filed administrative offense charges against 43 more participants of rallies against the enthronement of Joanikije II, the new metropolitan bishop of Montenegro and the Littoral diocese, a part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which occurred in early September, the interior ministry said

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2021) The Montenegrin police filed administrative offense charges against 43 more participants of rallies against the enthronement of Joanikije II, the new metropolitan bishop of Montenegro and the Littoral diocese, a part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which occurred in early September, the interior ministry said.

The protests took place on September 4-5 in the old Montenegrin capital of Cetinje and led to clashes with the police. Over 50 people who participated in the riots were identified by the police, which opened criminal proceedings against four of them, and the rest are due to be administratively liable.

"Cetinje police officers filed charges for disrespect of law enforcement troops against another 14 people, and non-compliance with the instructions of police officers against 26 people," the police said.

The prime minister of Montenegro, Zdravko Krivokapic, described the attacks on the police as a terrorist act, blaming the unrest on the leadership of the Democratic Party of Socialists of President Milo Dukanovic. In response, the faction filed a complaint against the prime minister with the prosecutor's office "for abuse of authority" during protests.

The police also arrested Veselin Veljovic, a former police chief and current defense and security presidential adviser, during the rallies on the suspicion of attacking a policeman on duty.

The riots resulted in eight detentions on the spot, as well as 20 police officers and four civilians sustaining injuries. The police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowds.