Displaying items by tag: Serbian Orthodox Church

Montenegro’s election campaign was dominated by divisions over the powerful Serbian Orthodox Church. There have been months of protests since a law was adopted in December allowing the state to seize religious assets when their historical ownership cannot be proved. Consequently the Church urged people to vote against the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS). The DPS secured 35% of votes in a tight and bitterly-contested parliamentary election, its worst result since the country won independence from Serbia. Official results show the pro-Serbian opposition alliance on 32.5%, meaning that it could feasibly form a government if it can reach consensus with Montenegro's other two opposition parties. That would see the DPS lose control of power in the Balkan nation for the first time in 30 years. The leader of the pro-Serbian coalition, Zdravko Krivokapic, told supporters, ‘The regime has fallen’. The majority of Montenegrins are members of the Church, while President Djukanovic and his party are accused of having links to organised crime and running the country as an autocracy.

Montenegro has introduced a new law on religion which is causing great tension. A faith community must be able to prove that it owned its property before 1918 but many - especially the Serbian Orthodox Church – cannot do so. This is a provocative move in a country divided by ethnic & national identity. There have been huge protests in both Montenegro and Serbia. There is a real risk of ongoing instability, even violence. 30% of Montenegro’s population are ethnic Serbs. The argument is not about religion but about identity. Milan Knežević, an MP from Montenegro organised an event at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg about this legal situation. However, his passport was removed and he could not attend. Two members of his family were also arrested. (See) This is a pretty shocking level of intimidation. Please pray for peace in Montenegro. Ethnic and nationalistic identity divides the nation but it would be a tragedy if the situation escalates into violence.