Police advise on rallies in Grahovac

The Police Directorate has not yet decided whether to allow two reported gatherings to celebrate the Battle of Grahovac and Spasovdan on May 21, the institution told "Vijesti".

They said that two reports for holding a public gathering had been submitted to the Nikšić Security Department as of yesterday.

One, as they stated, was filed on February 9, 2026. AD, on behalf of the Grahovo Local Community, while the second, on 3 April 2026, was submitted by ND on behalf of the Diocese of Budimlje-Nikšić.

"Both reports relate to public gatherings on May 21, 2026, near the Church of the Holy Savior in Grahovac," the Police Directorate stated.

They add that, after considering all the facts, they will take a position and make a decision within the legally prescribed deadline, in accordance with the Law on Public Gatherings and Public Events, of which the organizers will be notified in a timely manner.

The NGO Center for Civil Rights (CGP) announced on Friday evening that the Police Administration, acting at the request of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), banned both announced rallies in Grahovac, reports Pobjeda.

According to the movement, the reason for the ban is a security assessment, but they claim that the key factor was "pressure from the Serbian Orthodox Church, which was also planning its activities at the same location."

"Vijesti" asked this NGO and the Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic whether they had received official notifications from the police about the ban on gatherings and what the explanation was for that, as well as whether the Serbian Orthodox Church officially asked the police to ban the gathering reported by the Grahovo Local Community.

Last year, two celebrations were held at that location, on May 29th. The church-people's gathering at the church, as well as in the valley, was organized by the Diocese of Budimlje-Nikšić, while the second gathering was organized by the local committee of the local MZ and the people of Grahovljani.

The Battle of Grahovac took place from April 28 to May 1, 1858, according to the old calendar, or from May 10 to 13, according to the new calendar, and Montenegro received a major territorial expansion after it. The following areas were annexed: Grahovo, Rudine, Nikšić Župa, half of Drobnjak, Tušina, Uskoci, Lipovo, Gornji Vasojevići, parts of Kuča and Dodoši.

The celebration is not marked on the date the battle ended, but is linked to Ascension Day, because in 1858 it ended on that religious holiday.

King Nicholas In honor of the battle, he built the Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Holy Savior), and did so in as many days as the battle lasted - construction began on Tuesday and was completed on Thursday, on the Day of the Savior, 1864. Its foundations were dug in the place where the tent was located. Hussein Pasha, commander of the Turkish army.

In 2008, the government erected a monument to the fallen soldiers from Grahovac, not far from the site of the battle. Both the monument and the church read: “A monument to your heroism, Montenegro and its freedom.”

The monument was reconstructed in 2020.

NOTE: In the previous version, the Montenegrin Civil Movement was mistakenly written instead of the Civil Rights Center. We apologize for the unintentional error.