Declaration on the Protection of rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Free Profession of Faith and the Right on its Property in Montenegro

Church of Serbia – 29/6/2020

In the first convocation of the Tenth Regular Session, the National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska adopted the Declaration on the Protection of Rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Free Professing of Faith and the Right on Its Property in Montenegro as well as nine laws.

In reference to the Declaration on the protection of rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church on free professing of faith and the right on its property in Montenegro, a proposal of the deputy clubs SNSD, DNS, DEMOS, NDP, US, SPS, SP,   notes that the adoption of the arguable Law on the freedom of confession or belief and the law status of religious communities puts the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro into an unequal position  in relation to other religious communities.

The National Assembly of the Republic of Srpska calls upon the authorities in Montenegro to stop the forceful unlawful extortion of churches, monasteries and the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, to stop expelling the clergy and monks of the Serbian Orthodox Church under the pretext of not having Montenegrin citizenship, and to seek through dialogue with Church dignitaries of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro a solution to this problem, based on the Constitution and laws of Montenegro.

The National Assembly of the Republika of Srpska expresses its concern over the arrest, persecution and beating of bishops and priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, and strongly condemns the arrest, deprivation of liberty and criminal proceedings against the Bishop of Budimlye-Niksic and several clergymen of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It calls on the authorities of Montenegro to respect the provisions of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, and the constitutionally guaranteed basic human and civil rights of Serbs in Montenegro.

The Declaration emphasizes that the National Assembly of the Republika of Srpska fully supports all efforts made by the Metropolitanate and Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, both in Montenegro and internationally, in their efforts to preserve the right on free professing the faith and the right on the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

 National Assembly of Republic of Srpska (translated by the Information Service of the SOC)

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