Nationalistic circles abuse the Serbian Orthodox Church wherever they can. I already said this to the dignitaries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and told them loud and clear: if you want to deal with the orthodoxy – I’ll be your partner, said president of DPS, Mr Milo Đukanović, in the session of the Municipal Committee of DPS held in Berane.
Mr Đukanović pointed out that respect for differences was the best part of DPS spirit and that “we have to be prudent because we are faced with something new”.
The previous law was obsolete and inadequate
In that context, Mr Đukanović talked about the current political situation, the forthcoming elections, and dedicated most part of his address to the Law on Freedom of Religion, consequences of its adoption, pointing out that the previous law was obsolete, 43 years old and totally inadequate for the present time.
“Provisions from 1977 didn’t guarantee freedom. We needed to arrange the equality of religious communities in Montenegro. And we needed to elaborate on another constitutional principle separation of church and state. That’s the first thing we disagreed about with the Serbian Orthodox Church”, said Mr Đukanović.
Mr Đukanović said that legislative solution of Serbia referring to this domain stipulates registration.
“I took a look at the Law on Churches of the Republic of Serbia from 2006. Not only does it envisage mandatory registration but it also envisages five prerequisites that the church is obliged to meet in order to be registered. Serbia establishes that you have to submit the basic review of your religious teaching. I believe that’s more correct from what we did. I mean, the registration regime is much more relaxed. But, surprise! Serbian Orthodox Church did that in Serbia but it refuses to do that in Montenegro. Why? In all the communications we had, the message conveyed was clear: We don’t need to register, we are older than the state and we cannot register in the same state we had created.
Then we discussed it for a while and I tried to convince them that it really can’t be an argument in the contemporary society, even if it was true. We live in Montenegro that regained its independence in 2006, Montenegro which isn’t traditional anymore, it’s not Doclean Montenegro or Montenegro of the Petrović time or Crnojević time. This is European Montenegro and the rules which apply in this Montenegro are harmonized with the rules of the European legal system”, said Mr Đukanović.
Representatives of the SOC, insisted on such view very irrationally and self-destructively and that’s why they have been avoiding the registration procedure.
“Contrary to that, catholic church in Montenegro signed basic agreement with Montenegro. It wasn’t signed by the Roman Pope, it was signed by catholic dignitaries in Montenegro, archbishop from Bar and bishop from Kotor. Islamic religious community signed basic agreement with Montenegro, and so did Jewish community. But SOC didn’t”, added DPS president.
Seizure of SOC property – manipulation
Mr Đukanović said that the story that the state wants to take church property is a lie and pure manipulation.
He reiterated that Montenegrin Orthodox Church existed while the Montenegrin state existed. The church didn’t have its own property but it used state property. Mr Đukanović said it was independent and lasted until regent Aleksandar Karađorđević abolished it in 1920.
“No one has ever tried to transfer that property. At the end of 80s, Montenegro is set to arrange its cadastre, air recordings are performed, and citizens and legal entities are invited to register their property in the cadastre. That’s when SOC registers its property as its own, even though it’s never been its property. Ever, in the entire history”, Mr Đukanović said.
DPS president touched on the text of the law and the complex procedure of establishing ownership over the property and said that no seizure had ever been intended.
“Nobody says that we want to take the property we believe belongs to us. No way. After the adoption of the law, there’s one year deadline during which competent state authority will take records of what it thinks is the state property. After one year, the authority submits data to the Real estate Administration and informs those who were registered. They all provide their arguments and the Administration draws its conclusion.
In accordance with the gradualism principle, the dissatisfied party addresses to the Ministry of Finance which is supposed to draw its conclusion. The dissatisfied party addresses to the Administrative Court and then it decides. If the party is dissatisfied with the decision of the Administrative court then it lodges an appeal to the Supreme Court and it is up to the Supreme Court to decide. And so forth…
Privatization of temples – nonsense
The theory that somebody will take the temples and privatize them is seen as banal political story, Mr Đukanović says.
Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church don’t respect Montenegro
Mr Đukanović emphasized disrespect for Montenegro that representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church demonstrate, citing the Patriarch Irinej as saying that Montenegrins are actually Serbs and then Metropolitan Amfilohije who said that Montenegrins are “invented” by Milovan Đilas.
Mr Đukanović reminded of such statement not with the aim of fuelling hatred but with the aim of waking up part of self-respect and asking ourselves if we are really like they say.
Opposition is trying to misuse religious processions
Mr Đukanović stated that the opposition was trying to abuse religious processions for its own political ends.
“We understand that – they are trying to defeat us and since they are unable to do that, they want to stick to the church, misuse it and turn religious processions into political gatherings”.
SOC wants to make Montenegro Serbian
Mr Đukanović touched on certain nationalistic circles from Serbia.
“Nationalistic circles abuse the Serbian Orthodox Church wherever they can. I already said this to the dignitaries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and told them loud and clear: if you want to deal with the orthodoxy – I’ll be your partner. We are multinational and multi-confessional state and as the head of this state, I will respect every religious community in Montenegro. What I am afraid of is that you are not dealing with orthodox mission but national and nationalistic mission”, said Mr Đukanović .
Serbs, as very important national community, live in Montenegro and nobody denies that fact.
“I am proud of being head of the party which is civic and has people of all nations and religions. But if somebody tries to impose the status of the Serbian state on you, just like protagonists of the Great Serbian nationalism do, then we have problems. Then we aren’t partners. If you are imposing Serbian nationalism outside Serbia’s borders, what do you think how does that make us feel?”, asked Mr Đukanović.
All members and DPS voters should go to church if they feel like that
Mr Đukanović addressed his party membership.
“If you are believers, you should definitely go to church and do whatever you feel like doing. What we must take care of, is that our rights and freedoms are not violated and abused. Do not act against this state and acknowledge if somebody has hidden motives to act against Montenegro. Don’t be part of that. That’s the only thing that matters”, said Mr Đukanović.
The statement about the “movement of lunatics” has been misinterpreted
“You heard that a couple of night ago in Tivat, I called this systemic jeopardizing of the state a movement of lunatics, and with reason. I expected those who found themselves in my statement to raise their voice. Even in their interpretation, I call on the respect for their rights and freedom”, pointed out Mr Đukanović .
Those who are trying to divide Montenegro are actually the ones who are negating it.
