Historian: Montenegro Recognizes 800 Years of Serbian Orthodox Churches’ Continuity

Aleksandar Rakovic (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

Historian Aleksandar Rakovic, an expert in church matters, stated on Aug. 3 that, by signing the Fundamental Agreement, the state of Montenegro had recognized the 800 years of continuity of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, which is “an undeniable historical fact.”

In a statement to BETA, he said that the Democratic Party of Socialists had intended to re-formulate the identity of the Church and of the Serbs into another one, but there we have it, luckily, the outcome is that the state of Montenegro had put an end to interventionalism against the Serbian Orthodox Church.”

“The government of Montenegro has recognized, accepted the historical facts – that the Serbian Orthodox Church has historical continuity and legitimacy in Montenegro,” Rakovic said. It stems from the preamble of the Fundamental Agreement that the Serbian Orthodox Church was in the “root” of Montenegro’s statehood.

The Fundamental Agreement was signed in Podgorica by Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije. The Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic announced immediately after the signing of the agreement that it would move on an initiative for a no-confidence vote to the government. Disputes between the Montenegrin state institutions and the Serbian Orthodox Church about its status in Montenegro have resulted in the fall of the two last governments.