Bogdanović: Silence is the essence of Filip Vujanović's political hypocrisy

The essence of the political hypocrisy of the former President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanović, lies in his silence, Boris Bogdanović, president of the Democratic Montenegro Parliamentary Group, announced today.

He said this after Vujanović said in an interview with Nova M television that the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) would still be in power if there had not been a conflict with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC).

"Former President of Montenegro,

"If you were honest and not hypocritical, you would not speak of Metropolitan Amfilohije with respect today, and remain silent about those from your political house who have insulted, humiliated, demonized and presented him as an enemy of the state for years. One cannot invoke his generosity today and remain silent about the political persecution that was waged against him when humanity, moderation and respect should have been shown. If you were honest and not hypocritical, you would not speak of his wisdom today, and not mention the atmosphere of persecution that was created by the very top of politics to which you belonged. You would not forget the years in which people were targeted simply because they carried icons, went in processions, defended their holy places and refused to have their faith measured by the party seal," Bogdanović emphasized in a statement.

He told Vujanović, "if you were honest and not hypocritical, you would not say that Amfilohije knew how to apologize, and that you never asked for an apology from your honorary president who called hundreds of thousands of citizens and believers a 'crazy movement'."

"You would not remain silent while people who peacefully walked behind their shrines were declared enemies of the state, just because they did not agree to kneel before the party instead of before God. If you were honest, and not hypocritical, you would also ask for an apology from your party comrades who insulted believers by claiming that this is the digital age and that people should not kneel in churches and monasteries. As if faith is backward because it is old. As if prayer is humiliation, not freedom. As if a person is less modern if he has a soul, face and the need to bow his head before a shrine. If you were honest, and not hypocritical, you would not have shown respect for Metropolitan Amfilohije yesterday, and forgotten the days when the spiritual father of so many believers was arrested, nor the days when today's Metropolitan Joanikije, the then Bishop of Budimlje-Niksic, was arrested," Bogdanović stated.

He asked Vujanović why he did not seek an apology from those officials who rejoiced at the death of the metropolitan?

"Why didn't you speak about the values ​​recognized in Orthodoxy then? Why didn't you stand up to your political like-minded people then and say enough is enough of hatred, enough of targeting, enough of insulting believers, clergy and the people? It is easy today, from a political distance, to speak about Amfilohije's greatness. It was courage to say that when it was most difficult. When people were divided, marked and humiliated. When the Church was not seen as the centuries-old spiritual vertical of this people, but as a political opponent that needed to be crushed. You were silent then. And it is precisely in silence that the essence of your political hypocrisy lies, former president," Bogdanović said.