Serbia-Montenegro tensions escalate amid church dispute

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia’s president has pledged to protect Serbs in Montenegro who are allegedly threatened by possible formation of an independent Orthodox Church in the small state. Tensions have been escalating between the two former allied Balkan countries.  The Serbian church claims a religious law adopted by the Montenegrin parliament last year would strip it of its property. Montenegrin officials have repeatedly denied this but Serbs in Montenegro have held large anti-government demonstrations. The Montenegrin president has warned that a new Orthodox church could be formed as the result.