The Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro said that on June 14, a prayer service in the capital Podgorica will resume protest services and religious processions against the discriminatory “Law on Freedom of Religion” - contrary to the quarantine restrictions of the authorities.
Balkan media reported this, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The SOC noted the double standards of the Montenegrin regime, which does not prohibit mass street celebrations, especially on Independence Day in May, walks, does not close shopping centers and markets, but prohibits religious processions, prosecuting priests for allegedly violating quarantine norms.
“The litias, which will be served in all churches of Montenegrin cities from All Saints Sunday, June 14 this year, will take place precisely along those streets where we could see other mass gatherings these days - protests, state celebrations and ordinary walks of citizens... We We will do our best, as we have done so far, to ensure that when organizing lithiums we comply with the legal provisions on public gatherings,” the church said in a statement.
Previously, the director of the Montenegro Police Department, Veselin Veljović, had already claimed, hinting to the SPC that the police will not allow public gatherings that violate measures taken to suppress the infection. And he threatened to prosecute every person responsible “for failure to comply with the law, thereby jeopardizing the health of Montenegrin citizens.” However, both the church and the believers, in turn, are determined.
At the same time, the SOC Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Primorye notes the fact that the authorities refuse to enter into dialogue with the church.
“Exactly one month has passed since we await Prime Minister Dusko Marković’s response to the Metropolitan’s letter regarding the continuation of dialogue and negotiations immediately after the announced easing of health measures in early May of this year,” the metropolitan statement said.
In turn, the day before, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and Primorsky called on believers not to vote for the current government, which, according to him, is wicked and robs the saints.
“Although they have not made a true promise to change the Religious Freedom Act, I am still hopeful. Because if they don’t do this, the people shouldn’t vote for such power. Montenegrins have never voted for such a government without fear, but there is no more fear,” said Amfilohije
Before the introduction of quarantine measures, protest lithiums of thousands - prayers and religious processions - were held in many cities of Montenegro on Thursdays and Sundays.