Today, there are still numerous harsh reactions to the statement of Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, who called the Chetnik duke from World War II and collaborator of the occupiers Pavle Đurišić a "great hero".
And while the authorities remain silent about attempts to rewrite history, the opposition and some historians believe that this is not just historical revisionism, but also a political statement, with the clear aim of deepening divisions in society.
On the eve of the day when Montenegro, Europe and the world celebrate 80 years of victory over fascism, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral called the Chetnik duke and collaborator of the occupiers in World War II - Pavle Đurišić - a "great hero" of invincible character.
The statement provoked sharp reactions, and historian Miloš Vukanović claims that it is not a matter of revisionism, but rather a political statement.
"The main goal is that you, as the proponent of such a policy, not only relativize it, but also revalue it and reactivate it within the Montenegrin framework. And I must mention that Pavle Đurišić's policy was a policy of ethnic cleansing, hatred towards non-Orthodox and dissenters, but also a policy that generally does not respect today's borders," Vukanović pointed out.
Vukanović explains that the position on Đurišić is not only ideological, but also scientifically generally accepted.
"About which we have a multitude of sources, Partisan and Chetnik, Allied and Italian, which clearly speak about his biography, his tenure not as a war criminal, but as someone very loyal to the occupier, both the fascists and the Nazis," said Vukanović.
The Alliance of Associations of Veterans of the National Liberation War and Anti-Fascists is demanding a reaction from the competent institutions, but they believe that they are not allowed to do so.
They say that the main task of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) is to falsify facts and revise history.
Bosniak Party MP Kenana Strujić Harbić says that Đurišić was a commander who cold-bloodedly ordered and carried out one of the most monstrous crimes in the history of Montenegro, and that in a written report to Chetnik leader Draža Mihailović, he admitted that his units killed eight thousand Muslims in Sandžak and Eastern Bosnia.
The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) says that this is not the first time that Joanikije has used a religious service to express political and revisionist views that are divisive and insult the anti-fascist heritage on which modern Montenegro is based.
"Montenegro is founded on anti-fascism, civic harmony and European values, and no individual, be he or she a religious leader, has the right to deny historical facts and insult the victims who died at the hands of those whom Joanikije shamefully glorifies," said the DPS.
Vukanović recognizes hate speech in these statements, but says that our prosecutor's office has not reacted to it for a long time.
The parties that form the pillar of government did not comment on Joaniki's statement.
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