Djukanovic accuses Serbia, Russia of trying to destroy Montenegro

Milo Djukanovic said a series of gatherings against a religion law that has been led by Serbian Orthodox clergymen in the Balkan country aimed at “questioning Montenegro's independence”.

Mitrovici Ilarion, a Russian Orthodox Church clergyman, has raised a voice for support of the interests of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro. Onufriy Mitrovici, the leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate, has joined protests this week in Podgorica.

“If you are wondering whether this is a continuation of Montenegro's (left on attempt) destruction and its obstruction of intentions to continue the path towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration, there is no doubt about this”, Djukanovi said in an interview given to Reuters, Coha.net broadcasts.

“Moscow was clear in expressing its interests for the ongoing problem (for religion) in Montenegro”.

Djukanovqi accused Belgrade of resurrecting the nationalist concept of Greater Serbia that contributed to the Balkan wars of the 1990s and the collapse of the former Yugoslavia.

“We have no doubt that... all mechanisms of implementation of the state project for Greater Serbia... have been set in motion, and that Montenegro is also a target”, he said.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, has dismissed Djukanovic's statements, saying that “no one can undermine their actions more than he/he/she”.

Serbian Prime Minister Anna Brnabiq denied Djukanovic's comments. Referring to protests the country has faced with 620 thousand inhabitants, she said he (Gjukanovaqi) “has a problem in his country and with Montenegrin citizens”.

I'm surprised with President Djukanovic's rhetoric... Serbia has given up on the past 90s in time and has turned to the future”, Brnabyqi said, adding that Serbia is only seeking the right to the language and trust of Serbs in Montenegro.

EU ambitions

The protests that began in December concern a law that would allow the state to take over church property if the church could prove to have owned them before 1918 when Montenegro's then Kingdom joined the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, former Yugoslavia.

The Serbian Orthodox Church is the dominant belief in Montenegro -- a country of 620,000 -- and has about 12 million members, mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia.

Serbia and Montenegro both are negotiating EU entry. Montenegro entered NATO in 2017, but Belgrade is not aimed at membership in the defence alliance.

Ethnic Serbs make up about a third of Montenegro's population. Many Serbs descended from Montenegro and families in the country, while tens of thousands of Montenegrins live in Serbia.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq has said Belgrade will not intervene in Montenegro's affairs, but has also said Serbia will help the Serb minority there.

Serbia is rushing towards a dangerous snare of protecting the alleged endangered rights of the Serb (minor) minority ... while jeopardising the sovereignty of other states”, Djukanovqi said.