Police will not ban rallies in Grahovac, but will warn organizers that they bear responsibility

The police will not ban gatherings in Grahovac, but will warn the organizers that they are responsible for holding the event legally, the Police Directorate told "Vijesti" unofficially.

The police have the right to stop gatherings if they disrupt public order.

The Police Directorate previously announced that two reports had been filed with the Nikšić Security Department for holding a public gathering.

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

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

The non-governmental organization (NGO) Center for Civil Rights (CGP) announced last Friday that the Police Directorate, acting at the request of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), banned both announced rallies in Grahovac, Pobjeda reported.

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.

In honor of the battle, King Nikola built the Church of the Ascension of the Lord (Holy Saviour), in as many days as the battle lasted - construction began on Tuesday and was completed on Thursday, Spasovdan, 1864. Its foundations were dug at the site of the tent of Husein Pasha, the 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.