14 indicted in Montenegro coup attempt plot

April 14 (UPI) -- A Montenegrin special prosecutor charged 14 people, including two Russians and two opposition Parliament members, with plotting to overthrow the government.

The suspects were charged Thursday with "crating a criminal organization," with the Russians, who are at large, also charged with "terrorism." Among those indicted were Andrija Mandlic and Milan Knezevic of the pro-Russian Democratic Front Alliance Party; Mandlic called the accusations politically motivated.

Montenegrin authorities said the plot in October involved a plan in which the accused individuals would take over Parliament, assassinate then-Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and install a pro-Russian government. The motivation was to stop Montenegro, a small Balkan country formed after the breakup of Yugoslavia, from joining NATO.

The United States approved Montenegro's entry into NATO on Wednesday. The Russian Foreign Ministry responded with a statement saying in part, "We regard the policy of including Montenegro in NATO as profoundly erroneous; it runs counter to the core interests of the people of that country and is damaging for the stability of the Balkans and Europe as a whole."

Russia has long sought to keep Montenegro neutral and has sought access to its ports on the Adriatic Sea. Moscow is also suspected on attempting to influence Montenegrin elections by financially supporting the Democratic Front Alliance.