Dacic on protests against enthronement of Joanikije: I don't expect anyone to "target" metropolitan

Photo: Tanjug/Rade Prelic

President of the Assembly of Serbia Ivica Dacic commented on a gathering in Cetinje against the enthronement of Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral Joanikije in the Cetinje Monastery, to say there have been forces in Montenegro working to create a rift between the Serbian and Montenegrin people, stressing that he doesn't expect the conflict to escalate and for someone to "target" the metropolitan and the shrines.

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Speaking for TV Prva Dacic assessed that the DPS party is creating a rift between the Serbian and Montenegrin people, in order to mobilize the electorate, as well as to organize people against the enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije, with the help of other parties.

"The problem is that they are working on splitting something that was much stronger together, and that is Serbia and Montenegro. We had a common history and we should have a common future," said Dacic.

Dacic said that we are interested in the rights of the Serb people in Montenegro, just as we are interested in the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Asked if he thinks that there can be bigger conflicts in Montenegro, Dacic assessed that this will not happen and said he does not expect anyone to "target" the metropolitan and the shrines.

"I heard when Metropolitan Joanikije said that he was arrested and interrogated by a man working for the police whom he had baptized .. What do you think, how is that man, is he afraid of God," Dacic said.

Asked whether what is happening in Montenegro is a political issue, Dacic pointed out that it is, but that the biggest problem is that people who used the idea of unity with Serbia to come to power in Montenegro are working on creating a rift between the Serbian and Montenegrin people.

He added that one of the problems is that there are no Serbs employed in the General Secretariat of the Government of Montenegro, and that he believes that this is discrimination against the Serbian people.

"Relations between states should be based on mutual interests," he said.

(Telegraf.rs)