Andrija Mandić is the new Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro and, at the same time, a member of the Council for Defense and Security, which commands the Army of Montenegro.

Mandić received the support of 49 deputies of the new parliamentary majority – the coalition For the Future of Montenegro (the party of the former Democratic Front), the Movement Europe Now, the Democrats, the pro-Serbian Socialist People’s Party and two Albanian parties, during the voting in a session of the Montenegrin Parliament on Monday afternoon. The Montenegrin Parliament has 81 deputies.

The deputies of the Democratic Party of Socialists in the opposition left the hall before the vote. They tied a black ribbon on the microphone in the name of what they said was a black day for democracy in Montenegro.

Mandić is the leader of the Serbian New Democracy – a member of the pro-Serbian and pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) – which has recently been rebranded as the coalition For the Future of Montenegro.

The foreign policy priorities of Mandić’s party are the lifting of sanctions against Russia and the withdrawal of the recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

Also is an opponent of Montenegro’s membership in NATO.

Due to the election of Mandić, at 18:00 in front of the Assembly, the protest organized by the Forum of Free Citizens of Lucha and the opposition parties began.