The removal of the monument to the notorious Chetnik commander Pavle Đurišić in Gornji Zaostr is planned by 15 p.m. today.
This was told to "Vijesti" by those gathered at a gathering of admirers of the Chetnik movement in that village in Berane.
Metropolitan of Budimlje-Niksic of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Methodius, who served the liturgy in the Church of Saint Mother Paraskeva in that place, said that he would place the monument in the church, "so let them come and demolish the church."
Methodius' speech in Berane (video: Balša Rudović)
"Eternal memory to Duke Pavle and all the soldiers, warriors, officers, infantrymen and fighters of the Yugoslav army in the homeland," said Metodije.
Video: Balša Rudović
Several hundred people are present at the rally in Berane, there are no police and the atmosphere is peaceful.
"Vijesti" was told that the police arrived last night, around two o'clock after midnight, but the crowd did not allow them to remove the monument to Đurišić, and it was agreed that, after raising awareness, they would remove it themselves.
Those gathered are wearing Chetnik insignia, T-shirts reading "Serbian Royal Army in the Fatherland", "Draža is alive, he is not dead, as long as Serbianness and Serbia are", and in addition to Montenegro, they came from Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina...
The event was also attended by the acting head of the Citizens' Service of the Capital City of Podgorica, Vladislav Dajković, president of Free Montenegro.
Video: Balša Rudović
Video: Balša Rudović
Methodius: There are few who were as inspired as Đurišić
Metropolitan of Budimlje-Niksic SPC Metodije said that, if the people wake up, a monument to Pavle Đurišić will also be in the center of Berane.
He said this during the liturgy in the temple.
Video: Balša Rudović
"The glory of this wonderful temple — perhaps we only see it architecturally from the outside, but it is great for those who gather around it, and even greater for what is perfected in it — all those mysteries of God. And where God and his grace are, there is nothing greater. Without God, even beyond the threshold, without a king, nothing is good. That's what our ancestors used to say," said Methodius.
"And then, for the last 80 years, since we no longer have a king, the problem has not been so much that we are no longer what our ancestors were, nor that our country did not have the order it had before that unfortunate World War II. The greatest tragedy and downfall of this people is that its soul has been killed for 80 years," he added.
He pointed out that "even today, with their mentors, they do not stop destroying the sacred and honorable - tradition, belief and history."
"Those who kill the soul of this people — that is the greatest genocide. For, according to the words of the Lord, when he says in the Gospel, addressing his disciples: 'Do not fear those who kill the body'. Duke Pavle and Dragoljub (Draža Mihailović) did kill the body, but they did not kill the soul. But fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in a fiery and eternal hell. Therefore, let us fear God, let us pray, and let us do everything so that no one, at any cost, kills the soul, tradition, and being of this people," he announced.
Metodije reminded that people in Gornji Zaostar "gather and gather"
"There was always someone here who came and prayed to God. But we will best preserve ourselves in the congregation," he said.
He also reminded that Saint Petka, in front of whose temple they gathered, was a Christian during the pagan period of Rome.
"Saint Petka, whom we celebrate today, a Roman, was a Christian in the difficult times of the pagan emperors — something similar to these past decades that have flown by, and are still whipping our time here, in these regions, with their tails. She also courageously confessed her faith, loving God all over Rome. The emperor even invited her to use flattering words to convince her to change her love and faith. He offered her an earthly kingdom and wealth, success and position. But he whose heart is touched just once by the grace of God, will never again agree to exchange it for anything in this world," he said.
As he said, "all this will pass quickly."
"Those who blew up the church dedicated to the holy martyrs — Joanniki, the metropolitan, and the priests who were killed on the way to the Zidani Most, when Metropolitan Amfilohije was building a temple in their blessed memory to the glory of God, and in memory of their suffering, confession, and martyrdom — they then, as they do today, forbade the mention of the names and marking of the traces of the greatest people from this region, those who gave everything in their lives for their people and their homeland, and in the end sealed that sacrifice with their own lives," said Methodius.
He also referred to Đurišić's biography.
"Duke Pavle, who was originally from Parac, from the Lješanska nahija, was born in Podgorica, because his father served there in Stara Varoš. He lost his father early, so he came to his homeland with his mother, here in Vasojevići, in Berane, where he grew up. You know — many graduated from military academies and were officers, but there are few who were as inspired as Duke Pavle, such brave and great knights who were respected not only by their comrades, but also by their enemies," he said.
"And from whom did he inherit that? He was with his uncle, a warrior, a Chetnik, who was under the command of Duke Vuk, in the Liberation Wars against the Ottoman Empire, when Serbia, Montenegro, these hills, Old Serbia and Macedonia were being liberated. That uncle of his, with the soldier (Vojin) Popović — a great officer and warrior, whom they called Duke Vuk — was a great hero. After the First World War, when Duke Vuk died at Kajmakčalan, with most of his fighters, one of those who survived was Duke Pavle's uncle, who raised him and inspired him with the glory of Serbian chivalry," he added.
Metodije said that "Đurišić could not have followed any other path, except the path of his ancestors.
"He graduated from the military academy, became an officer and immediately returned from Sarajevo to Berane, where he served. Before World War II, and when the war began, he was the first to raise an uprising together with his people against the occupiers. He liberated Berane, he liberated the Raška region and Sandžak from the Italians, and he fought all the time — figuring out how to preserve his people, who were trying to attack and wipe them out from all sides. And he did it," he said.
He said that if it weren't for Đurišić, "there wouldn't even be a Serbian ear."
"If it weren't for him, there wouldn't be a Serbian ear here — even our people across the hill, towards Foča, Prijepolje, Priboj, Čajniče, Rogatica, say that. The Ustashas would have slaughtered everyone, along with those from the Handžar Division, if he hadn't stood up to defend his people. And he ended up, as every honest and upright hero of his tribe ends up — he perished with his people, at the greatest execution ground — Jasenovac, the largest Serbian city underground. His bones remain there, and there is no known grave or marble, but his spirit fuels this people," said Metodije.
He also referred to Dobrašinović's attempt to erect a monument.
"Yesterday, the honorable Dobrašinovićs, on their land, next to the church, erected a monument to him that the Titoists and their successors have been blowing up since 2002. They do not allow the Serbian name to be mentioned, nor the name of the knight who defended the Serbian people. That honorable house — I am sorry that they did it themselves, that they are not together with me. They are probably afraid, they do not trust, that someone will betray them and abandon them. And now I am telling them here and telling all of you: I will put that monument to Duke Pavle in the church — so let them tear down the church!", he said.
"And the moment will come when his monument, which they came to demolish last night, under cover of darkness, with force and machinery, will be saved. Only God forbid that two of our priests were there and asked them to wait, for us to gather, so that they would not spoil the glory of this holy temple and village," he added.
"They have occupied high political and state positions and think they can do as they please"
As he said, the times of force are over.
"Those times are over. We are no longer afraid of force — we weren't afraid before, and especially not today. Their force, which can't even restore order in the streets, has come to demolish the monuments of the greatest Serbian knights on the hills. They have come to fulfill someone's order. This is done by young people, dressed in expensive suits, who have occupied high political and state positions and think they can do as they want and think," he said.
"And this people, who have gathered here — and the entire Serbian people — have long since erected a monument to this great duke in their souls and hearts, and I cannot tear that down. The more time passes, the greater the name and glory of General Dragoljub and Duke Pavle," he added.
Methodius also said that those who are coming to demolish the monument are there "on the orders of the Europeans."
"They don't need to act heroic over us according to the directives of those 'civil', polished, well-washed, nice 'Europeans', who give them orders and send them here. They could have helped this village in some other way — to contribute, to give something — and not come with force to demolish and destroy," he said.
He announced that the monument will also be in the city center.
"We will erect a monument here — and that time will come soon — but, God willing, it will also be erected in the center of Berane, where it belongs, in the church," he emphasized.
"Because he, who was born here, who was nourished and inspired by the chivalry and heroism of his glorious ancestors — Berane gave him everything, he was formed here. That is why he was the first to liberate it, and that is why he defended it and protected his Serbian, suffering people until his last breath," he added.
Methodius called for "doing everything in a council-like manner."
"The most important thing of all is that we are all gathered and together. Let this be a lesson to us — there are no ones who work for themselves, individually. We must do everything collectively," he stressed.
As he added, the church in Zaostar has not yet been consecrated, and it has begun to deteriorate.
"This church — here, it has already acquired a much more beautiful appearance and appearance. But it has never been consecrated, it has been under construction for twenty-something years, and it has already begun to deteriorate. That is our lesson — that everything must flow from here. We cannot go to the top first. Here, in this church, we pray first, that the Lord will give his grace and that his blessing will descend upon us. That here, and nowhere else, we gather in his name," he said.
He pointed out that, after that, he would hold forums and symposiums in the village, and bring in "great, famous historians."
"Let this story start from here. And let the Titoist lies finally be destroyed, on which the existence of this unfortunate state and tortured people has been based all this time, from then until today. And then — when the light of truth illuminates everything — as the culmination of that, we will see his monument, which will reveal itself," he said.
"The most important thing is that we be like him, that we be faithful to our race, that we know who we are — that we are Serbs, that we are Orthodox. Because many today, who slaughtered us the most in those years, come from our roots. They are ready to wait, like sycophants, for any empire to pass through these regions, to put themselves at its service," he added.
Methodius said that if they do not come together, there will not be "a single stone left on top of a stone, let alone a monument."
"Therefore, first establish this monument in your hearts. Here, everyone should gather around the sacred place," he emphasized.
He told the gathering that when they gather, they should pray.
"When there is a service — then we pray to God. When we sit under a tent, or in another company, in another place — then we talk, sing, and socialize in a different way. Here, when we gather — remember — whoever does not want to pray, let him wait, and then come after the liturgy. Whoever does not feel like praying — and without prayer there is no salvation. There is no salvation for us. Only gathering in the name of God will keep us here in this region — to last, as our holy ancestors did," he said.
He also referred to the arrest of Dobrašinović, comparing him to the priests who were arrested during the liturgy.
"God bless you. I greet here Vujadin, the godfather of glory, who has been detained for 72 hours. May it be for our benefit, may it be a lesson to us. Until yesterday, they were also detaining Metropolitan Joanikije with eight priests in Nikšić. They were also bringing in the late Metropolitan Amfilohije. They blew up the church on Pardus. They want to demolish this monument here too. But, more than with explosives and machinery, they blew up the truth for these people, who live here, on these foundations and in these areas, with lies," he said.
"But I tell you — it's only wise for us to gather here. Let there be ever-larger gatherings, let us gather together and hold great symposiums, lectures, and debates here — in the glory and honor of the great Serbian knights."
And little by little, until the people wake up, I tell you — there will not only be his monument here, but, God willing — in the center of Berane as well. Long live and God bless you, students," he concluded his address.
Methodius then unveiled a monument to Đurišić.
After the unveiling of the monument, the Serbian national anthem was played.
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The inspection ordered the removal
Berane police arrested fellow citizen Vujadin Dobrašinović yesterday for erecting a monument to Pavle Đurišić in Gornji Zaostr.
The police have filed a criminal complaint against him for the criminal offense of injury and unauthorized erection of a memorial. The Police Department announced that Dobrašinović erected the monument on his own land. After questioning at the prosecutor's office, he was ordered to be detained for up to 72 hours.
The inspector for cultural property of the Ministry of Culture and Media yesterday handed over the inspection report to the first man in Berane, Đolo Lutovac (Europe Now Movement), ordering the removal of the monument to Đurišić immediately, and within three days at the latest.
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