Communique of the Ohrid Archbishopric on return of Archbishop Jovan to Republic of Macedonia

His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Archbishop Jovan VI

Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric- Serbian Orthodox Church

27/1/2010

His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr kyr Jovan, since the measure of his detention was abolished, after almost two years of absence, on January 25, in the late evening hours he returned to his homeland. Archbishop Jovan requested the abolition of detention during the judicial process against him, but since it was not allowed, His Beatitude has been forced for almost two years to live outside R. Macedonia.

Since the detention was eliminated, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr kyr Jovan returned to the believers of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, who exceedingly overjoyed meeting with their Archbishop.

In the meantime, many relevant factors, such as the representatives of the Embassy of the United States in R. Macedonia, Embassy of the European Union in R. Macedonia, Freedom House, clearly suggested that in R. Macedonia there was a lack of the application of the laws that guaranteed equal religious freedom for all citizens, highlighting the example of the judicial persecution of Archbishop Jovan.

However, although the Basic court in Veles, by bringing several decisions, found there were no evidence for the continuation of the judicial process against Archbishop Jovan and brought two acquittals for Archbishop Jovan, the Court of Appeal had constantly returned the case to rehearing, all the way to making the final verdict that would satisfy schismatics from the MOC.

The case is now in a period of appeal so that, pending the decision by the Court of Appeal, His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr kyr Jovan is a free citizen.

Source: