Montenegro government collapses over ties with Serbia church

Lawmakers vote 50-1 to oust PM Dritan Abazovic's government, just weeks after he signed a deal regulating position of Serbian Orthodox Church in the Adriatic nation.

Religious issues have been a perennial flashpoint in Montenegro, with past governments toppled over disputes involving the SPC. (Reuters)

A no-confidence motion has been passed by Montenegro's parliament, paving the way for the end of the current ruling government and the beginning of a fresh round of political upheaval in the Adriatic nation.

The motion passed shortly after Friday midnight with 50 votes, with only one MP voting against it, while the rest of the 81-seat parliament's members boycotted the measure.

"We need an election and a stable government," said parliamentarian Danijel Zivkovic, who filed the motion and triggered the confidence vote.

The motion came just months after a no-confidence vote in February ended the rule of another coalition government.

Political tensions have been smouldering in Montenegro for weeks after the government signed a controversial new agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC).

The agreement covered a range of issues, including measures to provide a regulatory framework for the hundreds of properties –– including churches and monasteries –– owned by the SPC.

The country's Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic hailed the deal, saying the agreement would hopefully smooth over relations between divisive groups within the country, particularly pro-Serbia and pro-Western parties.

No-confidence motion passes in Montenegro's parliament, paving way for end of ruling government and beginning of fresh round of political upheaval in the Adriatic nation pic.twitter.com/UirVaogKxf

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Montenegro's perennial flashpoint

President Milo Djukanovic has long been a fierce opponent of the SPC and has been accused of wanting to nationalise the church's properties.

For weeks, Djukanovic –– who is currently in the opposition –– has used the accord as a cudgel to destabilise the ruling government and push for early elections.

Religious issues have been a perennial flashpoint in Montenegro, with past governments toppled over disputes involving the SPC.

The tiny Adriatic country has long been plagued by fights over identity, including last year when protesters calling themselves "Montenegrin patriots" tried to prevent the inauguration of a new SPC leader in Montenegro.

The nation broke away from Serbia in 2006, but a third of its 620,000 inhabitants identify as Serbs and some deny Montenegro should be a separate entity.

Djukanovic, the architect of independence, has been eager to curb the SPC's clout in Montenegro and cement a separate national identity, including its own independent Orthodox church.

The SPC is the dominant religion in the small state, but opponents accuse it of serving neighbouring Serbia's interests.

It was not immediately clear whether the fall of the government would lead to snap parliamentary elections or if the parties would try to form a new governing coalition.

Political bickering in Montenegro has blocked progress toward integration into the European Union. Montenegro in 2017 defied its former ally Russia to become a member of NATO.

Source: AFP

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California appeals court rejects COVID-19 fines for church

SAN J0SE, Calif. -- A California church that defied safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding large religious services won't have to pay about $200,000 in fines, a state appeals court ruled.

Calvary Chapel San Jose and its pastors were held in contempt of court and fined in 2020 and 2021 for violating state and county limits on indoor public gatherings. The rules were aimed at preventing the spread through close contract of the virus, which has caused more than 10 million confirmed cases and more than 93,500 deaths since the pandemic began in mid-2020, according to state public health figures.

But on Monday, California's 6th District Court of Appeal reversed those lower court decisions, citing a May 2020 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in February 2021 that a ban by Gov. Gavin Newsom on indoor worship services in counties where COVID-19 was surging violated freedom of religion.

The decision by a newly conservative majority court came less than a year after the high court previously ruled the ban was justified on health and safety grounds.

The appellate court noted that the restrictions on indoor gatherings also applied to secular gatherings but were stricter for worship services than for secular activities such as going to grocery stores.

The ruling “is a great win for the sake of liberty and displays the justification for the courage shown by this church" and its pastors, Robert Tyler, a lawyer for the church, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Despite the ruling, Santa Clara County said it will continue to seek $2.3 million in penalties against the church for violating other COVID-19 rules that weren't affected by the decision, such as requiring face masks during services in late 2020.

“Calvary did not dispute the fact of its numerous and serious violations during the height of the pandemic and before vaccinations were available," a county statement said. “We will continue to hold Calvary accountable for putting our community’s health and safety at risk.”

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