Montenegro government gives official status to Serbian church

PODGORICA, Montenegro

The Montenegrin government on Wednesday signed an agreement that will give the Serbian Orthodox Church "official status" in the country.

Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije attended the signing ceremony held in the capital Podgorica.

"The basic agreement has been signed. We continue to work, focusing on a better standard of living for citizens," Abazovic said on Twitter.

A group of civilians is protesting the agreement, which is also opposed by the Abazovic government's coalition partners and the main opposition party led by the country’s President Milo Djukanovic.