Jovanović and Joanikije discussed the construction of a temple in Budva

A working meeting of the team of the Municipality of Budva and the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, led by Metropolitan Joanikije, dedicated to plans and next steps regarding the construction of the Temple of Saint Mark, was held today in Budva.

"During the meeting, key issues related to the dynamics of the project implementation, institutional cooperation and coordination of all activities were discussed, with a special focus on preserving the spiritual, cultural and historical values ​​of the city. The importance of this temple for believers, but also for Budva as a space of rich tradition and recognizable cultural identity, was emphasized. Through an open and constructive dialogue, the willingness of all participants to implement the project responsibly and in the spirit of togetherness, for the benefit of the local community and future generations, was confirmed," said the President of the Municipality of Budva Nikola Jovanović on the social network Instagram.

"Vijesti" reported at the beginning of the month that the construction of the Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Mark will most likely not begin this year, because the Municipality of Budva did not foresee the relocation of the city chapel in either the Investment Plan or the Spatial Development Program, which is a prerequisite for the construction of another religious building of the Serbian Orthodox Church to begin.

The key documents planning the development of the city, the Investment Plan and the City Development Program for this year, do not state in any of the listed projects that the chapel will be relocated in order to "free up" space for the construction of an Orthodox temple between the Church of St. Petka and the HDL supermarket.

At that time, it was confirmed to "Vijesti" in the Municipality of Budva that the donation of one million euros to the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, which was foreseen in the budget for this year and which caused an uproar on the political scene, had not yet been transferred to the Metropolitanate's account.