Montenegro's parliament on Thursday elected a new government led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, the first minority government in the country's history.

The new government has four deputy prime ministers and 18 ministries. It consists of Abazovic's United Reform Action party, the Social Democratic Party, the pro-Serbian Socialist People's Party and the parties representing the Croatian and Bosniak minorities.

President Milo Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists supported the new government but has no representatives in it.

Abazovic said in his address that the new government would be based on two main pillars – the rule of law and economic development, and would focus on combating corruption and promoting investment, EU integration, sustainable development and environmental protection, and the wellbeing of children and young people.

He said that Russia's military invasion of Ukraine had opened up new prospects for Montenegro. “I believe that Montenegro can apply for fast-track admission to the EU, which is our most important goal,” Abazovic said.

Abazovic, an ethnic Albanian, is the first prime minister of Montenegro coming from an ethnic minority.

Under the coalition agreement, the minority government is to run the country for a year, until an early parliamentary election.