Novi Sad mayor condemns in strongest terms unprecedented, horrific attack on priest in Liman

The mayor of Novi Sad has issued an urgent statement after a priest got assaulted

The mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Djuric, condemned in the strongest terms the attack on a member of the clergy, which happened yesterday in Novi Sad's neighborhood of Liman, stating that it casts a shadow on the city.

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The Dnevnik newspaper carried his statement in full.

"I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on a priest from the Diocese of Backa, who was physically prevented from performing his parishional duties yesterday in the Liman settlement.

I am afraid that this is the product of a terrible campaign of hatred aimed toward the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is being carried out by certain political groups and organizations for days now.

I do not want to accept that in Novi Sad the safety of clergy is under threat, or that of any citizen, regardless of their ethnicity or religion.

I am asking my fellow citizens not to allow some politically motivated individuals to drive a wedge between us, to spread hatred and cast a shadow on our city.

I appeal on the competent state authorities to urgently bring to justice the perpetrator of the attack on the priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church."

The Diocese yesterday announced that the priest was assaulted by an unidentified man who approached the victim in the street and, unprovoked, in front of witnesses, struck him, before hurriedly leaving the scene.

(Telegraf.rs)