The director and editor-in-chief of Pobjeda, Drasko Djuranovic, speaking about the influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, said that its influence is twofold. He said in an interview with “The Geopost” that the Serbian Orthodox Church, ie the Church of Serbia, is in favor of creating a national state.
According to him, the liturgies organized by the Serbian Orthodox Church during 2020 are very well organized and financed by official Belgrade, but, as he said, also by the Russian factor.
Djuranovic added that after the independence of Montenegro, the Serbian Orthodox Church had an extremely strong cooperation with official Belgrade, and indirectly with the Russian Orthodox Church.
He stressed that the Serbian Orthodox Church through the controversial movement, which was a kind of political movement to overthrow the government of Djukanovic, has influenced the formation of the Government of Zdravko Krivokapic.
“The church has played a major role in changing the government in Montenegro,” Djuranovic said.
Full interview:
What is the role of the Serbian Orthodox Church and its influence and connection with the Russian influence on Montenegro?
Unfortunately, the influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church in this area, not only in Montenegro, has not changed since the 1990s, when the church played an active role in the disintegration of Yugoslavia, the bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia. The Serbian Orthodox Church, or as we call it, the Church of Serbia, acts as a church that in some way propagates and represents the interests of the Serbian state in the entire region, and that would not be a problem if it were not for the imperial project colloquially called “Serbian World”, and the Serbian world is a derivative of a broader story that relates again to Russia, the Russian world.
Therefore, the influence of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro is twofold. At the domestic level, the Serbian Orthodox Church, i.e., the Church of Serbia, advocates the introduction of practically one national state, i.e., the Church of Serbia has never recognized the official existence of Montenegrins as a nation and since the government in Montenegro decided to go to referendum has made every effort to prevent this.
After independence, the Church had extremely strong cooperation with official Belgrade, and indirectly with the Russian Orthodox Church, and I think that in recent decades the Church has played a very negative role in terms of peace in Montenegro and the Balkans. The Church of Serbia has predominantly influenced the formation of the Government of Zdravko Krivokapic through the liturgical movement, which was a kind of political movement for the overthrow of Djukanovic’s government. The litigations organized by the Serbian Orthodox Church during 2020 were very well organized and very well financed by official Belgrade, but also by the Russian factor. At the same time, a very good propaganda campaign was carried out towards Western countries, where a propaganda slogan was carried out, that in Montenegro, former communists persecute Christians. In essence, behind the SOC motive was the desire to own property that undeservedly belongs to them in Montenegro, because, say, the Cetinje Monastery, normally does not belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church, which was formed in 1920, and the monastery was built in 1600 and some years.
I want to say that the Church has played a great role in the change of government in Montenegro. That in itself would not be such a problem if the change that took place in Montenegro, in the August 2020 elections, did not actually lead Montenegro to an additional clericalization of society and additional fascism of society. So, the value system that the Church of Serbia advocates is in fact a continuation of “Justinian’s policy”, it is a policy of Justinian Popovic, a church ideologist, who, together with some other church ideologues, essentially maintains fascist ideas, from Hitler onwards.
Unfortunately, Justinian’s current is still strong in the Church of Serbia and I think they continue to implement the ideology of “blood and soil”, it is not seen not only in Montenegro, it is seen in the behavior of the Church in Kosovo, and especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Church of Serbia is the Church that supports all war crimes in the former Yugoslavia, including the genocide in Srebrenica. The Church of Serbia is an organization that is more political than religious, and the Church of Serbia supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, although both are so-called fraternal peoples and Orthodox peoples. The Church of Serbia has no problem supporting the invasion and killing of the Orthodox population in Ukraine. This is tragic because the Church of Serbia still has a great influence on people. About ten days ago, Metropolitan Ioanikije stood under the flag of Tsarist Russia, thus sending a symbolic message that Tsarist Russia should be renewed.
When we talk about Russian influence in the Balkans, specifically in Montenegro, what can you say about how Russia is directly or indirectly connected by its influence on Montenegro?
Ties between Russia and Montenegro are historical and traditional since the time of Peter I, Peter II of the Petrovic dynasty in Montenegro, but, these traditional and good ties, friendship between Russia and Montenegro, is quite abused in Montenegro, especially in time when the Montenegrin government decided in 2003, 2004 and 2005 to go in the direction of independence, but at the same time in the direction of the West. Somewhere, 12 or 13 years ago, Russia officially requested access of Russian warships in two ports in Montenegro, the port of Bar and the port of Kotor and offered 1.5 billion euros, it was Russia’s desire to go to the warm seas, because apart from the port in Syria, Russia has no access to warm seas.
At that time, they showed, even though it was an official offer, some desire to rule this region, which the Montenegrin side refused. The Montenegrin government, led by Djukanovic, led Montenegro to the West. Since Russia considers Serbia, Montenegro, and part of Bosnia and even part of Kosovo, as its zone of interest, it also wanted to protect its influence in that zone of interest which, in the Kremlin’s opinion, belongs to them. The events in Montenegro before the 2016 parliamentary elections, which is a year before Montenegro joins NATO, have shown how strong this malignant influence of Russia can be, even on the ground.
As you know, in 2016, not only thanks to the Montenegrin services, but primarily to the Western services, I mean the British and American ones, an attempt of a Russian political coup was discovered. Obviously, there was the influence of Russia and the desire to overthrow the Montenegrin government, not only to overthrow that government, but, above all, to change the geostrategic path of Montenegro to the West, and they almost succeeded in 2016 in what they failed to do, say, by force or conspiracy theory, they succeeded for 20 years with the help of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, and pro-Russian politicians such as people from the Democratic Front, people from some more Serbian non-governmental organizations here, because the Serbian House in Podgorica in the amount of 3.7 million euros was financed and founded through Belgrade. And those branches, as well as propaganda such as Sputnik, Info Res .. Russian-Serbian propaganda played a significant role in 2020 in the overthrow of Djukanovic’s government.
What is Serbia’s strategy towards Montenegro?
Unfortunately, here Montenegro is divided on this issue, the majority until 2020 was strongly against the kind of so-called fraternal assistance that Serbia provides us, however, this force has changed since August 2020, although on the ground, among the ordinary world, I think most people are against that kind of influence.
The outlines of the Serbian world are very clearly stated, in essence they are a continuation only by other means of the same ideology pursued by the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, through its memorandum, which Milosevic tried to implement at the level of former Yugoslavia when he said that all Serbs should live in one state. From that slogan “all Serbs in one state” came “one Serbian world”, which is in fact just another name for Serbian politics, which has its epigones in Montenegro through political parties, through numerous associations. At the same time, he relies on the project of the so-called Russian world, because the Russian world has some territories to dominate, and the Serbian world in the Western Balkans has territories that Vucic should dominate with Putin’s help.
This ideology is not only related to the President of Serbia, it is a slightly broader project that includes numerous associations, and even parts of the Academy of Sciences, and part of the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts. The situation regarding Montenegro is complex, because there are those who support these political ideas and who are funded.
After the victory of the Democratic Front, i.e., the Serbian forces in Niksic, Vucic ordered the city of Belgrade to pay 2 million euros to city of Niksic as aid, while the entire party machinery, which is in charge of, conditionally speaking, the production of votes, was engaged in Niksic. Serbian media, when there were local elections in Niksic, made special shows there … So Serbian propaganda is quite influential here, television on the national frequency in Montenegro is not in the hands of people from Montenegro. That speaks enough about how much Montenegro is under pressure from political and even media propaganda from the outside.
What is the reason and what is the strategy of Vučić who leads Serbia in terms of legal status, military … what does that mean for Serbia and the region itself?
Honestly, the President of Serbia has balanced quite well politically between Europe, America and Russia, although it is clear that Serbia is a Russian player in the Balkans, but with the help of politics represented in some way by Angela Merkel, Vucic has built power, especially in Serbia, it is a kind of economic and political connection with Russia.
In general, Europe has long tolerated this pro-Russian policy of Aleksandar Vučić, however, now with the tragic events in Ukraine with the invasion of Russia, I think things are changing and the process is accelerating, so that theory of neutrality, sitting on two chairs, which Vučić plays, it will not be easy to perform. I don’t think Serbia can turn its back on Russia. Vučić cannot be a supporter of Russia and at the same time ask for a quick accession to the EU.
This can be reflected very indirectly, but also in the foreseeable future, on Vučić’s position in the negotiations with Kosovo, which will no longer be so easy. I think that Vučić will be in a serious problem, which he is now pushing “under the carpet” due to the elections that are in Serbia on April 3. After April 3, I think that Serbia must face a choice that will not be easy, and I am not sure that Serbia, no matter who won on April 3, can make such a turn at all, turn to the West, and stay in some good relations with Russia.
Serbia suffers from that desire of both the EU and Kosovo. Boris Tadic also promoted that political phrase, both the EU and Kosovo, so it is difficult to enter the EU if you want to occupy Kosovo. It is a difficult political problem that no one will be able to solve.
Is the President of Serbia using nationalism and war and aggression in Ukraine for the presidential elections?
Vučić is trying to balance in that, I think that the leadership of Serbia, led by Vučić, made a kind of compromise when it condemned the Russian aggression, but at the same time it did not join the sanctions against Russia. I think that this is a wise political move, which was in fact the only one that leaves Vučić a chance to further build relations with both Europe and Russia, and how long it will last, depends on what is happening in Ukraine. If the world continues to watch this tragedy that is happening there to the people of Ukraine, or if that tragedy intensifies, that is, if the conflict escalates with an attack on big cities as Putin announced, I think it will indirectly affect the policies of Serbia and Montenegro. Politicians in the Balkans must determine which system of values they strive for, because it is not possible to strive for fascism and European values, they will have to declare themselves and those statements will be difficult, will lead to significant divisions in the so-called Serbian political corps, which is in the majority, unfortunately, pro-fascist and which hinder the development of the Balkans and hinder good neighborly relations. I think that, unfortunately, that will not change quickly in Belgrade.
How endangered are the institutions in Montenegro?
In a year and four months, Montenegrin institutions have been completely destroyed. When I say Montenegrin institutions, I primarily mean the security system – the National Security Agency. Information passes through “holes” every day, we had a situation where the director of the National Security Agency clumsily, unknowingly, although he is an experienced lawyer, gave names and surnames on the Security Committee of American agents in Montenegro and Montenegrin agents, their cooperation, it is something unthinkable.
Things are even worse, most of the classified information available to the National Security Agency, which should share it with its Western NATO partners, to almost all that so-called classified information, including the movement of agents in Montenegro, security circles in Belgrade and security circles in the Kremlin have it. Another important lever of the security sector is the Ministry of Defense, which made catastrophic mistakes to the extent that practically a special inspection from NATO came specifically to Montenegro, and I think that the outflow of data was significant, where even some officers were hired who were once marked as people without a security culture in NATO exercises.
Some of them are now placed somewhere in the security sector, so I think from the point of view of institutions, that the Government of Zdravko Krivokapić, which came on a wave of litigation, church and political, pretty much destroyed the institutions.
Montenegro cannot survive on the domination of one nation or one religion, Montenegro existed and can only exist as a composition or set of different religions and nationalities. In that sense, the fact that Driton Abazovic, who was given the mandate to form the Government, might be very good if he implements a policy that will imply the inclusion of all religions and nations. The question is whether it has that political capacity, but with the fall of Zdravko Krivokapic’s government, Montenegro is starting to recover, but it is a process that will not go easily, a process that will be significantly slowed down, and we now have to rebuild some institutions, which were not very bright before, but are now really in a very bad condition, practically non-existent.
Are Serbia and Russia trying to disable cooperation between Kosovo and Montenegro?
Of course, yes. Since Montenegro recognized Kosovo, there have been quite violent demonstrations in Podgorica, not a political stance, but a demonstration led by the late Metropolitan Amfilohije, the Church of Serbia, and backed by Democratic Front leaders. Then there was the attack on the Assembly, throwing Molotov cocktails at the police … Since then, that political team has been very active, carrying out an action to prevent good relations between Montenegro and Kosovo. Despite that, regardless of the fact that there were some stories, the border between Montenegro and Kosovo was demarcated, although later Mr. Kurti questioned that, but the ties between the business are quite solid. As far as tourism is concerned, it is visible every year. So that these retrograde political forces will always exist, the problem was that they have been practically dominant in Montenegro in the last year and a half, and then they slowed down the development of relations, and if there is any blame for that, it is primarily in the official Podgorica. What is necessary is the inclusion of all. The political representatives of the so-called Serbs in Montenegro are disturbing the idea of multiculturalism in Montenegro, so it is reflected in the relations between Montenegro and Kosovo, although I think they are quite good.