Regarding the text published yesterday in the News "Mocking the state and lining up officials: What priest Backovic said to the ruling majority at the Morinj rally", as well as other incorrect interpretations in the media, we are obliged to address the public.

We are not surprised by the malicious interpretations coming from certain social factors who were interlocutors of the author of the aforementioned article, because they have a clear continuity of active struggle against the Church and, specifically, discrimination and unlawful institutional persecution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, whenever they had the opportunity.

However, what is truly unacceptable and extremely socially harmful is the action of the author of the article, who allowed herself to insert unspoken words, which completely change the meaning of what was said in Morinje. The insertion of the word “church” (even in parentheses) is the most common forgery and a sad example of fake news and malicious propaganda.

Our Church, nor any other religious community, is an employer of anyone in state and local administrations, nor does it pay them salaries. It is completely insane to claim otherwise. Priest Backović in Morinje had no mandate to speak on behalf of the Church, and this is another reason in favor of the fact that he could have said those words only as one of the citizens of this country, who actually “employ and pay salaries” to state officials. On the other hand, by refraining from speaking or at least choosing a different and clearer choice of words, he could and should have prevented such interpretations, knowing that there is a ready army of those who will try to misuse his words against the Church.

The author of the article and all her interlocutors should understand that priests have completely equal rights, like other citizens, including the right to public speech, without it being tied to the service they perform. A professor or doctor who speaks at any and all local gatherings does not speak on behalf of their institutions or leadership, but on their own behalf. The same applies to priests. I guess that should be clear to everyone.

Although it is well known to the Montenegrin public that the views and messages of the Church are not conveyed in this way. The Church has enough public space to communicate its views and when it deems it necessary, it does so clearly and directly, through official channels of information.

The narrative that is trying to impose itself about the alleged unlawful and “decisive” influence of the Church on state authorities, and even about the “debt slavery” of the state in relation to the Church, is a propaganda and calculated lie, with which those who have “enslaved” this state with their criminal and corrupt activities and those who have given them ideological support for this out of their lucrative interests, want to keep society in that slavery.

The fact that there is a certain dynamic in the relations between the Church and the state is nothing unusual. This is the case in most democratic states. In our country too, various institutions and social groups have their own different interests and views on these or those issues. This kind of diversity of opinion is the basis of modern democratic societies. It is important to know who is asking questions where and about what. The Church for church issues, the state for state issues.

The fact that unknown social and political factors imagine secularism as the confinement of the Church and believers in a “niche”, as their “boss” once announced – this is the problem of their narrow, retrograde and undemocratic consciousness.

The secularism of Montenegro is not threatened by the Church. The influence of the Church on society is reduced to public speech and appeals to the conscience of citizens and those in authority. We have no other instruments. The Church is not interested in exercising power. Anyone who claims otherwise – is simply not telling the truth.

Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral

Cetinje, October 15, 2025