Words of the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Porphyria addressed to the Russian President Vladimir Putin that the church's position "regarding Kosovo and Metohija, Republika Srpska and Montenegro" also depends on Russia's position, the message is that the attitude of the Serbian church-political elite towards Montenegro will not change and that it is considered a Serbian backyard.
This was assessed for "Vijesti" by a religious analyst from Belgrade. Vladimir Veljkovic, commenting on the messages that the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church delivered the day before yesterday in Moscow, where he spoke with Putin.
The meeting with the President of Russia was attended, among others, by the Patriarch of Russia Kiril and Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Bačka Irenaeus.
Porfirije told Putin that they were grateful for the support and position regarding Kosovo and Republika Srpska, "and of course Montenegro", because "our people, our Church are there too".
"I believe and feel that our position regarding Kosovo, Republika Srpska and Montenegro also depends on the position of the Russian state, the Russian Federation on a global level. My wish, and the wish of the majority in our Church, is that in the future, if there is a new geopolitical realignment, we will be close to that Russian environment," he said, as reported by Belgrade media.
Veljković stated that he "reads" Porfiry's assessment in such a way that the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church is grateful to Moscow for supporting the Serbian side in Kosovo, that is, in the Republika Srpska and Montenegro.
"This also means that Russia sees Serbia as its outpost in the Balkans, and that regions that are in conflict suit it," he claims.
When asked how they interpret Porfiri's statement, the ruling Europe Now Movement (PES) of the Prime Minister did not respond to "Vijesti" yesterday. Milojko Spajić, New Serbian Democracy Andrije Mandić, Democratic People's Party Milan Knežević and the Socialist People's Party Vladimir Joković, who are known to be political actors close to the Serbian Orthodox Church.
There was no response to the same inquiry from the opposition Democratic Party of Socialists and the Civic Movement URA, nor from the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) yesterday, reacting to Porfirio's messages, announced that only citizens can influence Montenegro's decision. The government department said that Montenegro is an independent, sovereign and secular state, "a member of NATO and a reliable partner of the European and Euro-Atlantic community, with the priority goal of joining the European Union (EU) as soon as possible."
"This cannot be influenced by anyone's statements, nor by political, religious or other calculations, but only by the citizens of Montenegro, who have clearly opted for the development and prosperity of their country," they concluded.
The MFA stated that state issues are the exclusive competence of the institutions of Montenegro, and that statements by religious leaders, including the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, that relate to domestic or foreign policy, in addition to being irrelevant, are considered inappropriate and inadmissible. They added that Montenegro remains “firmly committed to the path towards EU membership, fostering the secular character of the state and strengthening stability and peace in the region.”
"We expect that such a commitment will be respected by all stakeholders, including religious leaders," the MFA concluded.
Deputy Prime Minister and senior PES official Filip Ivanovic, yesterday at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels, in response to the statement of a Croatian MEP Tomislav Sokol that the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro met with Putin, specifying that it was Porfirio, not the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral to Joaniki.
"The SPC, like every Orthodox church, is organized according to different episcopacies and dioceses, and each of these dioceses is basically independent in its functioning. So, when you say that the head of the largest religious community in Montenegro went to Putin, that is not true. The Patriarch of the SPC went to Putin. The Archbishop of the SPC in Montenegro is Archbishop Joanikije, and he did not attend this meeting, and I invite everyone to investigate this in more detail," Ivanovic said.
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Sokol later wrote on the "Iks" website: "Does this mean that Joanikije is transferring to the Montenegrin Orthodox Church?"
Porfirio's statement was condemned yesterday by representatives of the opposition European Alliance. The president of the Social Democratic Party and one of the leaders of the European Alliance Ivan Vujović, announced that "the SPC is voluntarily surrendering to Putin, and our 'European government' has already surrendered to the SPC."
"Question for the 1st grade of elementary school - where is it leading us (President of the Assembly Andrija)" Mandic - (prime minister Sweetie) Spajic and Government," Vujović wrote on the "Iks" network, stating that when Spajić returns from his visit to the USA, he must "kiss the hand that brought him to Montenegro."
President of the Liberal Party and one of the leaders of the European Union Vatroslav Belan, addressed the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying:
"While you were distributing 20 million square meters on Velika Plaza, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, together with Putin, was distributing Montenegro into the 'Russian world'."
Belan asked government institutions and officials to respond to the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
"Given that you are being labeled as a pro-European government and pro-European ministers, can you answer the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church that he is not responsible for the geopolitical positioning of Montenegro, and that we have long ago outlined our foreign policy goals that are completely contrary to his dreams? It would be appropriate, and you can do as you wish and are allowed...", he wrote on "Iks".
The Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) had been involved in a political campaign in October 2023 ahead of the then-current census in Montenegro. The inappropriate campaign culminated when Porfirije, during a two-day visit to Podgorica, told the citizens of Montenegro that he felt the need to support them in resolutely expressing “their identity as believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church, speakers of the Serbian language, and as dignified members of the Serbian people” at every opportunity.
"It is the right, responsibility, obligation and duty of each of us," he said at the time.
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