Montenegro reaches agreement on the use of the Serbian language

Montenegrin PM Igor Luksic has finally reached agreement with leaders of the country’s political opposition regarding the use of the Serbian language and facilitating Montenegrin citizenship for minorities.

After months of wrangling and political pressure, PM Luksic successfully agreed to appease opposition leaders yesterday, thereby paving the way for the two-thirds parliamentary majority required for adoption of the proposed new election law that is a prerequisite for EU accession.

According to the PM, the agreed amendments to the Law on General Education envisage the teaching of the Serbian language in the country’s primary schools, as well as the use of Serbian as an official state language.

Luksic stressed that the agreement recognizes the constitutional definition of Montenegrin as the country’s official language, but also acknowledges the fact that Serbian is the language spoken by the largest group of Montenegrin citizens.