In the spring of 2006, the independence referendum was held, and Montenegro became a sovereign state.
In the same time, the Bishops' Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to form a regional Bishops' Council for Montenegro, consisted of bishops representing dioceses on the territory of Montenegro.
By the same decision, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral was appointed president of the regional Bishops' Council.
In the autumn of 2007, due to illness and advanced age of Serbian Patriarch Pavle Stojčević, Metropolitan Amflohije Radović of Montenegro was appointed administrator of the Patriarchal Throne, by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Old Patriarch Pavle died in 2009, and Metropolitan Amfilohije continued to administer the Patriarchal Throne until the election of new Serbian Patriarch Irinej Gavrilović in 2010.

Since Montenegro became an sovereign country in 2006, after a narrow independence referendum, relations between state authorities and the Metropolitanate became increasingly complex.
As a strong supporter of Serbian-Montenegrin unionism, Metropolitan Amfilohije was seen as an opponent to newly proclaimed Montenegrin independence, and thus a new political dimension to several ecclesiastical disputes was added.
One of those disputes was related to claims and  activities of a separate Montenegrin Orthodox Church, that was created in 1993 by a group of Montenegrin nationalists, but never recognized as canonical.
During the following years, various disputes arose, mainly over the question of historical and canonical legitimacy and effective control over some church objects and properties.
Recent announcements of state authorities, related to potential confiscation of church properties, have provoked a strong public manifestation of support for the Metropolitanate.
In the spring of 2006, the independence referendum was held, and Montenegro became a sovereign state. In the same time, the Bishops' Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to form a regional Bishops' Council for Montenegro, consisted of bishops representing dioceses on the territory of Montenegro. By the same decision, Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral was appointed president of the regional Bishops' Council. In the autumn of 2007, due to illness and advanced age of Serbian Patriarch Pavle Stojčević, Metropolitan Amflohije Radović of Montenegro was appointed administrator of the Patriarchal Throne, by the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Old Patriarch Pavle died in 2009, and Metropolitan Amfilohije continued to administer the Patriarchal Throne until the election of new Serbian Patriarch Irinej Gavrilović in 2010.
Since Montenegro became an sovereign country in 2006, after a narrow independence referendum, relations between state authorities and the Metropolitanate became increasingly complex. As a strong supporter of Serbian-Montenegrin unionism, Metropolitan Amfilohije was seen as an opponent to newly proclaimed Montenegrin independence, and thus a new political dimension to several ecclesiastical disputes was added. One of those disputes was related to claims and  activities of a separate Montenegrin Orthodox Church, that was created in 1993 by a group of Montenegrin nationalists, but never recognized as canonical. During the following years, various disputes arose, mainly over the question of historical and canonical legitimacy and effective control over some church objects and properties. Recent announcements of state authorities, related to potential confiscation of church properties, have provoked a strong public manifestation of support for the Metropolitanate.
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral