Montenegro continues its adventure according to the “Ukrainian scenario”
The pro-Western “independent” authorities of Montenegro, which separated from Serbia several years ago, continue the campaign against the Serbian Orthodox Church, as if repeating the scenario of persecution of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine.
At the end of July, the president of this Balkan country, Milo Djukanovic, expressed the idea of creating a Montenegrin “single local church”, which would include parishes of local schismatics and the canonical SOC.
Metropolitan Amfilohije of the SOC responded by pointing out Djukanovic’s lack of knowledge in church matters and suggested that he first be baptized. According to Bishop Amphilochius, the idea of founding a new Orthodox Church “where Christianity has lived since the 4th century” is not subject to discussion.
At the same time, a law initiated by the authorities will soon come into force in Montenegro, which opens up the possibility of confiscation of churches and monasteries of the Serbian Church in favor of the state. There is a danger that the confiscated church buildings will then be handed over to schismatics.
On August 15, the St. Stephen's Council of the SOC took place in Herceg Novi, where a resolution was adopted on the current situation and the creation of the People's Church Council.
The document states that, instead of the expected law on the return of church property confiscated by the communists, the Montenegrin authorities are attempting to destroy the SOC.
The resolution also recalls that four years ago the Venice Commission declared that the confiscation of church property is prohibited.
“In a country that fights for the European Union with all its diplomatic and legislative efforts, a law is being proposed that, for a number of reasons, violates the European Convention on Human Rights,” the statement said.
The document also makes it clear that a particular aggravation of the situation due to the anti-church actions of the Montenegrin authorities is expected in the Boko-Kotor region (historically it gravitates towards Serbia and is often even compared to Kosovo in terms of the strength of separatist sentiments).
The schismatic Montenegrin Orthodox Church (MCOC) promptly responded to the SOC resolution, declaring “anti-state activities.”
“A new, so-called People’s Church Council will be organized, the goals of which will be directed precisely against the unity of the state, since they are going to decide to declare the land of Boka Kotor, which previously belonged to Austria-Hungary, not part of Montenegro,” said a representative of the Montenegrin Raskolnikov Steva Vucinich for the TVCG channel.
“The process of territorial disintegration, which in some way is facilitated by the development of the SOC in Montenegro, has acquired such momentum that it has “taken hold of the masses” and is creating a kind of political pressure that is extremely dangerous for the state and national unity, and can cause serious and dangerous consequences in future,” Vucinic added.
He also called on the Montenegrin authorities to “not allow them to engage in this type of activity and directly work against the constitutional order and the unity of the state and nation.”
Lawyer Vladan Bozic, who works in Montenegro, in an interview with the Politika newspaper, condemned the pressure of the authorities on the Serbian Church: “This is a very ignorant and very cruel interference of the state in canon law. It all starts with the transfer of SPC assets to the state, and the goal of this is known - to complete the process of identifying the new Montenegrin mentality.”
Bozic also pointed out that the Montenegrin authorities are not alone in this and that they are serving as an “experiment” for the same reformation of the Church in Kosovo, which was illegally separated from Serbia.
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