Podgorica - Montenegro's biggest exporter, the KAP aluminium plant KAP faces closure, with its foreign bank accounts blocked and an energy company threatening to seize the produced aluminium to pay

Podgorica, Montenegro - Montenegro's political opposition on Monday accused Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of "meddling" in the Balkan country's current election campaign.

Nebojsa Medojevic, head of the Movement for Change, made the statement in reaction to Berlusconi's one-day visit with Montenegran Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic in Podgorica.

In the meeting, the Italian leader had agreed to new Italian investment in the Montenegro's energy and tourism sectors, local media reported.

Podgorica - Montenegrin authorities aim to hold early elections in March, local media reported Tuesday.

The government asked the Parliament to shorten its mandate and thus make way for the president Filip Vujanovic to call for early elections on March 29, daily Vijesti reported.

The government said that Montenegro faces numerous and important decisions in a process of joining the European Union and that this process needs to be implemented fully "by the organs and institutions and especially the government and parliament with full four year mandate".

Podgorica, Montenegro - The Montenegrin government was set to extend a 40 million-euro (50.8 million-dollar) bailout loan to a local bank controlled by Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's family, reports said Monday.

The decision to pump in cash and keep the Podgorica-based Prva Bank liquid would be formally made during the week, the daily Vijesti said.

The loan was being prepared under the rules laid out amid the global financial troubles. Authorities would have direct control over the bank's activities and shareholders would have to collateral their capital to the state.

Podgorica - Montenegrin police used teargas in the capital Podgorica Monday evening to disperse pro-Belgrade demonstrators demanding their government revoke its recognition of Serbia's breakaway province Kosovo.

Several thousand people showed up for the rally called by four pro- Serbian opposition parties. The protest turned violent when demonstrators began hurling rocks at police guarding the assembly in downtown Podgorica. Several people were reported injured.

Podgorica - A Montenegrin court ordered on Monday to t