The Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic finds it necessary to inform the faithful and the public of Montenegro about the current unfortunate situation in which the clergy and believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church have been brought.

Namely, for the last seven days, the Đurđevi Stupovi Monastery, the seat of this Diocese, has been under day and night surveillance by officers of the Police Department. In the immediate vicinity and at the approaches to the monastery, the extremely indiscreet and inexplicable presence of various police formations and official cars creates an atmosphere of a state of siege, causing anxiety among the inhabitants of the monastery and the faithful.

Such scenes of police encirclement of temples in recent years have only been seen in the midst of the persecution of the Church during the Đukanović totalitarian regime.

Given the intensity of public persecution and the anti-church media campaign to which this Diocese has been particularly exposed in recent months, as well as the frequency of invitations to informative talks by Metropolitan Metodije of Budimlje-Niksic and the clergy, we see the continuation of this practice as an attempt to criminalize and socially isolate the Church through the use of the repressive apparatus.

The Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic expresses its deepest dismay and concern over the open, violent attitude of the current regime towards the Serbian people in Montenegro.

May God grant that peace and the rule of non-selective justice and law will prevail in Montenegro as soon as possible.

Source: Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic