Montenegro's pro-Serbian governing coalition collapses

Montenegro’s conservative pro-Serbian coalition government has collapsed amid internal disputes, after parliament backed a no-confidence motion tabled by a junior coalition partner

PODGORICA, Montenegro -- Montenegro's conservative pro-Serbian governing coalition collapsed Friday amid internal disputes, after parliament backed a no-confidence motion tabled by a junior coalition partner.

Lawmakers voted 43-11 in favor of the motion against Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic's government following weeks of political deadlock. Other lawmakers in the 81-seat parliament either abstained or left the session before the vote.

Krikokapic, a university professor who is close to the Serbian Orthodox Church, has headed an ideologically-mixed coalition that included pro-Serbian groups — as well as smaller parties which are not happy with the pace of reforms needed for the small country's bid to join the European Union.

Friday's vote came less than two years after Krikokapic' coalition came to power, replacing a long-ruling pro-Western party