Montenegro still denies entry to bishop

The Montenegrin president says Bishop Filaret will be allowed to enter the country if the Hague changes stance. Filip Vujanovic said the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) bishop could enter Montenegro provided the Hague Tribunal removes his name from a list of persons suspected of aiding Hague fugitives. Montenegro still denies entry to bishop In a letter to Patriarch Pavle, the excerpts of which have been published in the Montenegro press today, Vujanovic stressed that Podgorica was meeting its international obligations towards the Hague by denying the bishop entry to its territory. “We believe you understand our obligations, and hope that Your Holiness will inform Bishop Filaret that Montenegro expects him not to put our border police into an awkward position by his repeated attempts to enter our state's territory,” the letter said. The Montenegrin president stressed his country would change its position regarding the issue only if the Hague Tribunal removed Filaret from the list of persons who assisted in hiding the remaining fugitives. Filaret, whose eparchy is seated in Prijepolje, has said on several occasions that he would be visiting a church belonging to his eparchy located on Montenegrin side of the border on August 28. He also said he would go on hunger strike, if he was denied entry once again. Montenegrin police previously turned him back from a border crossing in the area on August 2 and 8. Filaret has also in the meantime applied for Montenegrin citizenship.

Montenegro still denies entry to bishop

In a letter to Patriarch Pavle, the excerpts of which have been published in the Montenegro press today, Vujanović stressed that Podgorica was meeting its international obligations towards the Hague by denying the bishop entry to its territory.

“We believe you understand our obligations, and hope that Your Holiness will inform Bishop Filaret that Montenegro expects him not to put our border police into an awkward position by his repeated attempts to enter our state's territory,” the letter said.

The Montenegrin president stressed his country would change its position regarding the issue only if the Hague Tribunal removed Filaret from the list of persons who assisted in hiding the remaining fugitives.

Filaret, whose eparchy is seated in Prijepolje, has said on several occasions that he would be visiting a church belonging to his eparchy located on Montenegrin side of the border on August 28.

He also said he would go on hunger strike, if he was denied entry once again.

Montenegrin police previously turned him back from a border crossing in the area on August 2 and 8.

Filaret has also in the meantime applied for Montenegrin citizenship.