The fact that Democratic Front (DF) called on the MPs of Islamic and catholic confession not to meddle into relations with orthodox believers, and the fact that Democrats abandoned the Committee on Electoral Legislation indicate that these two political subjects are not familiar with the notion of civil state, said CdM interlocutors.
“Mr Andrija Mandić requested members of minority nations not to take part in the discussion on the new European law. That tells us how he understands civil state. In his opinion, it’s just the problem of orthodox people. But it is actually problem of every religious community in Montenegro”, said in the statement for CdM, Mr Rajko Cerović, the publicist.
Serbian historian, Mr Milivoj Bešlin, thinks that it is a god thing that Government of Montenegro and the parliamentary majority have stopped calculating and that the law has finally entered the procedure. He stresses it’s a positive step and reminds that the law has been supported by the Venice Commission.
“Therefore, it is a law that guarantees not only religious freedoms, but also secular character of Montenegro”, says Mr Bešlin.
According to him, those who disagree with the law are those who do not want equality.
“They are those who want to preserve their monopolies, privileges, monopoly position, but not only that. Serbian Orthodox Church and DF, as its political wing, actually want to defend their privileges, to maintain their monopoly position, but they also want to jeopardize civil and secular character of Montenegro”, pointed out Mr Bešlin.
That is what is hidden behind their attacks.
“By privileges, I don’t mean money only, I mean the fact that they want to put themselves above the law, they want to set out rules, to have some sort of immunity. In every democratic, European and even non-European society that is impossible”, states Mr Bešlin.
Mr Bešlin sees the refusal of the Democrats to take part in the work of the Committee similarly as Mr Cerović.
“Democrats turned out to be an “elderly” party , a party of mono-national-clerical type”.
He says that they have shown their anti-European face.
“It’s not right-wing, it’s a political basement. They seem to be proud of the fact that their leader copied his master thesis”, said Mr Cerović.
As far as the compromising character of DF is concerned, it is a party which still believes that a war with the Turks should be waged and that Turks are on Obzovica.
“It’s a conservative party and they don’t understand anything. The act as if this was 19th century”, concluded Mr Cerović in his statement.
For Mr Bešlin, the behavior of the Democrats appears to be quite interesting, as the European gild fell and the old face of the Socialist People’s Party appeared.
Prime Minister, Mr Duško Marović, regards the Democrats’ decision as political marketing. He pointed out that the Law on Freedom of Religion had nothing to do with the responsibilities of the Committee.
Duško Marković
Commenting on the current affairs, Mr Bešlin pointed out that the law was very important since the church issue in Montenegro hasn’t been settled yet. This issue, he added, must be addresses in accordance with democratic and European standards.
Question for the opposition mentors in Belgrade
Commenting on the statements made by one part of the opposition that attack on the businessman Miodrag Daka Davidović was a message to believers in Montenegro in the lead-up-to the convocation in Nikšić, Mr Bešlin says it’s an abuse.
“The question is: what is a religious leader doing with a businessman? Secondly, the shooting happened in Belgrade, not in Podgorica. That’s something we should ask opposition mentors in Belgrade”, concluded Mr Bešlin.
MPs will be discussing Proposal for the Law on Freedom of Religion on 24 December.
