Croatia's Foreign and European Affairs Ministry on Friday condemned in the strongest terms any attempt of interference in the internal affairs of Montenegro and the desecration of the Montenegrin flag displayed at the Montenegrin embassy in Belgrade on Thursday evening.

The ministry says that it is closely following the developments in Montenegro which is described in the ministry’s statement as a friendly and neighbouring country, a member of NATO.

The Croatian ministry calls for stability in the region and supports Montenegro on its journey towards the European Union.

Zagreb calls on all sides to solve their disagreements through patient dialogue in the interest of regional stability so that Montenegro could unobstructedly continue its journey towards the EU membership.

Earlier on Friday, the Montenegrin Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Serbian ambassador to Podgorica, Vladimir Bozovic, over the recent incidents of attempts to desecrate the Montenegrin state symbols in Belgrade following the passage of the legislation on the property used by religious communities in Montenegro.

On 27 December, the ruling majority in the Montenegrin parliament adopted a law on religious freedoms whereby all religious buildings and land that are used by religious communities in Montenegro and are found to have been built with state funds or were owned by the state until 1 December 1918, would be given back to the state.

The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) believes that the law is a pretext to impound its churches and monasteries in the country.

The law was welcomed by the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which believes that with its help the state will get back its property that was unlawfully registered as the property of the Serb Orthodox Church, which owns 66 mainly medieval monasteries, dozens of churches and other property.