Clashes between political rivals reported in Montenegro

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Clashes broke out between supporters of rival political factions in at least two Montenegrin cities overnight leaving several people injured, the media in Podgorica reported on Tuesday.

Vijesti daily said that supporters of President Milo Djukanovic’s Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and opposition followers clashed in the center of the Montenegrin capital throwing stones and bottles, with the police stepping in to prevent more massive fighting. The police said that several small-scale clashes had been reported across the city.  

The daily said that the police in the northern city of Niksic reported a fight between opposition and Djukanovic supporters. Six people were arrested.  

In a separate incident, a Montenegrin public broadcaster (TVCG) crew was assaulted by opposition followers celebrating in the center of Podgorica. TVCG said that the vehicle the TV crew was in was damaged.

Opposition leader Zdravko Krivokapic called his followers to stay at home, citing reports of attempts to provoke incidents. His Facebook post said that “the outgoing regime should not be given any excuse to overturn the undeniable results of the election and the will of the people”.

The opposition won a majority of seats in the 81-member Montenegrin parliament at Sunday’s election and is set to form a new government with Djukanovic’s DPS going into the opposition for the first time in some 30 years but remaining the single strongest party with 30 MPs.