Serbians 'Cancel' Presence at Montenegro Celebration

Serbia's ruling parties, the Democratic Party, DS, and the Socialist Party of Serbia, SPS, were due to send representatives to the gathering in Podgorica on Saturday organised by Montenegro's ruling Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, which is headed by Djukanovic.

However, after Djukanovic said earlier this week that Montenegro continues to be the target of the "the Great Serbia project”, Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas and Serbian Education Minister Zarko Obradovic, have decided to cancel their attendance at the event, Balkan Insight has learned from the DS.

Montenegro celebrates its independence day on May 21, the day in 2006 that its citizens voted in a referendum to leave a state union with Serbia.

While generally good, relations between the two countries have been hindered in recent years by the Kosovo issue and disputes over the Orthodox Church.

Much to Serbia's chagrin, Montenegro recognised Kosovo on October 9, 2008, one day after the UN General Assembly accepted Serbia's draft resolution to forward the case of Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence to the International Court of Justice.

Podgorica made the move despite Serbia's request to put off its establishment of diplomatic relations with Pristina at least until the ICJ delivered its ruling.

Following the recognition, Serbia expelled Montenegro's ambassador to Belgrade, though he was later reinstated.

Church issues surrounding autonomy and property have also played a role in relations between Serbia and Montenegro, as was seen following recent statements by Djukanovic.

Ahead of this weekend's celebration, Djukanovic said that his party is "in favour of an independent Orthodox church in Montenegro".

Speaking for Montenegro's state broadcaster, Djukanovic stated that the metropolitanate was "autonomous, but still a part of the Serbian Orthodox Church", and thus "not sufficiently in line with Montenegro's national interests".

Montenegro, home to a large population of ethnic Serbs, hosts both the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which has not been recognised by any other Orthodox churches.

The Montenegrin Orthodox Church enjoys less support among Montenegrin citizens, and is considered heretical and schismatic by the Serbian Orthodox Church, SPC.

According to Djukanovic, the issue of two churches will be addressed at the party’s congress on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Web site Analitika reported on Friday that the Orthodox Church of Serbia has sued Montenegro before the European Court of Human Rights, over the ownership of church property in Montenegro.