1000s of protesters slam Montenegro plan to join NATO
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Montenegro to protest against the Balkan country’s planned membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Some 7,000 demonstrators gathered in Montenegro’s second largest city of Niksic on Saturday, calling on Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic to step down over his proposal for the country to join the Western military alliance.
A similar anti-government rally, attended by some 2,000 protesters, was also held in the capital, Podgorica.
Montenegro has been the scene of such anti-government protests in the past few weeks.
Djukanovic says the protesters are trying to make Montenegro look unstable in an attempt to discourage NATO from taking it in as many Montenegrins have historic ties with Russia, which is opposed to the move.
The small European country hopes to receive an invitation from NATO next week to become a member of the alliance. The premier has repeatedly rejected demands to step down, offering to call early elections after the NATO meeting on December 1 and 2.
Djukanovic has been at the center of power over the past two decades, after holding prominent posts in the country from the early 1990s, when it was part of former Yugoslavia.
In 2012, Djukanovic won re-election as the premier, marking the third time he has held the position since Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006.
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