Nikolic proposal raises hopes in church dispute

Biljana Lajmanovska for Southeast European Times in Skopje 28/10/2012 Serbia President Tomislav Nikolic recently proposed that Macedonian authorities free convicted felon Zoran Vraniskovski in return for Belgrade obtaining recognition for the Macedonian Orthodox Church’s autocephaly. Nikolic said the state involvement will help solve the four decade-long dispute between the Serbian and Macedonian orthodox churches, which has affected relations between the two countries. “I have sufficient respect for the Serbian Orthodox Church and people there have sufficient respect for me to solve this problem,” Nikolic said.