Serbia-Montenegro tensions, Vucic cancels visit to Podgorica to avoid escalation

 Aleksandar Vucic

 Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic cancels his planned visit to Montenegro on January 7th, following disputes the two neighboring states had over the law on religion adopted in Podgorica.

During a conference this Saturday, Vucic accused Montenegrin and Western officials, without mentioning names, of launching a "hysterical campaign of lies".

He said he canceled the visit because of possible "clashes" that "could harm the Serb people in Montenegro".

The adoption of the law on religion has been accompanied by protests by Serbs as they claim it will lead to the seizure of properties of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, but Montenegrin officials deny the allegations.

The day before, thousands of hooligans burned down the Montenegrin flag and stormed the country's embassy in Belgrade.