Montenegro’s parliament on Tuesday declined to include on its agenda a proposal by the opposition Democratic People’s Party to debate changes to state symbols, including the introduction of a red-blue-white tricolour as a so-called “people’s flag.”
The proposal failed to secure sufficient support, with 21 lawmakers voting in favour, 23 against and 13 abstaining.
The Democratic People’s Party said reintroducing the historical tricolour would not challenge the current national flag or constitutional order, but would instead recognise “historical continuity and identity pluralism.”
For much of the 20th century, Montenegro used a red-blue-white tricolour similar to Serbia’s. The current flag — red with a gold border and a central coat of arms — was adopted in 2004 and is enshrined in the constitution.
Lawmakers from the New Serb Democracy and the Socialist People’s Party backed the initiative, while some members of the ruling Europe Now Movement, led by Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, abstained.
The ruling party said the government’s priority should remain its European integration agenda, arguing that identity-related issues requiring broader social consensus should be addressed only after key reforms are completed.
Officials pointed to the “Barometer 26” platform, presented in December 2024, which aims to accelerate Montenegro’s path toward European Union membership and close remaining negotiation chapters by the end of 2026.
The debate over national symbols reflects broader political divisions in Montenegro, where questions of identity, history and alignment between pro-European and pro-Serbian blocs continue to shape the political landscape.