Serbian Church Clergy to Protest Before Montenegro Parliament

As bitter disputes continue in Montenegro over a controversial new law on religion, the Serbian Orthodox Church is to organise an open-air council in the capital, Podgorica, gathering all priests and monks in front of the national parliament.

Myths versus fantasies

Ahead of Tuesday's parliamentary debate, the government published five "myths" on its official website, debunking Serbian Orthodox Church claims about its alleged intent to steal its property.

Addressing these so-called myths, the government said it was not true that the Freedom of Religion draft law was against the Serbian Orthodox Church, that anyone wanted to "steal" the property of religious communities, or that the Serbian Orthodox Church was older than the Montenegrin state.

The government also said it was a myth that the government wanted to expel the Serbian Church from its churches in Montenegro and give them to the rival and canonically unrecognised Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

"The best confirmation that … the state does not intend to jeopardize the rights of believers is the fact that the royal capital of Cetinje, not the SPC, is the registered owner of the Cetinje monastery, which in no way restricts the rights and freedoms of the priesthood and believers of the SPC," the government noted.

The government statement drew sharp reactions from the Serbian Church, SPC, on Monday, which published a hostile response, "five government's fantasies", rejecting most of the claims.

Deacon Konstantin Dojic told BIRN that it was not true that the State of Montenegro was the rightful successor to and owner of Church property from its association and descent from the former Kingdom of Montenegro, which united with Serbia in 1918.

He repeats...