Montenegrin president criticizes Patriarch’s statement

Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic said that Patriarch Irinej’s recent statement represents a negation of the Montenegrin people. Irinej recently said that Serbs and Montenegrins were the same people. Montenegrin president criticizes Patriarch’s statement Vujanovic told Radio Television of Montenegro that it was “unexpected and unusual” coming from the Patriarch. In his opinion, such statements do not work in the favor of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Littoral, and that its Metropolitan Amfilohije “had never challenged the Montenegrin nation, regardless of the fact that he felt like a Serb.” Vujanovic said that the statements of the new Serbian patriarch should not be “exaggerated“ and that he expects that it would be possible to “ openly and argumentatively speak“ about it with him. He repeated the position that he would not sign the decree on the appointment of an ambassador to Pristina until the Montenegrin ethnic minority was recognized in Kosovo. The Montenegrin President stated that it was “inappropriate" that Montenegrins in Kosovo are not recognized as a minority by the Constitution, and that it was “humiliating" for them and for Montenegro. Vujanovic called Belgrade’s reaction to the establishing of diplomatic relations between Podgorica and Pristina “emotional“. According to him, Serbia should not exaggerate or be strict in some of its decisions, and that Montenegro should not take these reactions negatively. Vujanovic stated that Serbian President Boris Tadic was “always welcome” in Montenegro and that it would be “good for him to visit as soon as possible”. Commenting on the possible retirement of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic from the position and as a leader of ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS), the president, who is his party colleague, said that the party had not discussed this yet. “I believe that we should let him bring up this issue once it becomes relevant,” he said, adding that he would “strongly try to convince Djukanovic to remain the head of the DPS and the government” once the issue was brought up.

Montenegrin president criticizes Patriarch’s statement

Vujanović told Radio Television of Montenegro that it was “unexpected and unusual” coming from the Patriarch.

In his opinion, such statements do not work in the favor of the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Littoral, and that its Metropolitan Amfilohije “had never challenged the Montenegrin nation, regardless of the fact that he felt like a Serb.”

Vujanović said that the statements of the new Serbian patriarch should not be “exaggerated“ and that he expects that it would be possible to “ openly and argumentatively speak“ about it with him.

He repeated the position that he would not sign the decree on the appointment of an ambassador to Priština until the Montenegrin ethnic minority was recognized in Kosovo.

The Montenegrin President stated that it was “inappropriate" that Montenegrins in Kosovo are not recognized as a minority by the Constitution, and that it was “humiliating" for them and for Montenegro.

Vujanović called Belgrade’s reaction to the establishing of diplomatic relations between Podgorica and Priština “emotional“.

According to him, Serbia should not exaggerate or be strict in some of its decisions, and that Montenegro should not take these reactions negatively.

Vujanović stated that Serbian President Boris Tadić was “always welcome” in Montenegro and that it would be “good for him to visit as soon as possible”.

Commenting on the possible retirement of Prime Minister Milo Đukanović from the position and as a leader of ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS), the president, who is his party colleague, said that the party had not discussed this yet.

“I believe that we should let him bring up this issue once it becomes relevant,” he said, adding that he would “strongly try to convince Đukanović to remain the head of the DPS and the government” once the issue was brought up.