Serbian Patriarch Appeals for Political Dialogue 

Patriarch Porfirije (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

The situation in Serbia is, to put it mildly, “very difficult”, caused by a deep division, mirrored at all levels and relying on strong clannishness that goes as far as hatred toward the other side, which is visible in many spheres of social life, and therefore there is an urgent need for opening a social and political dialogue, Porfirije, the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, has said 

“All this is beginning to resemble the darkest periods in our national history, tragically marked by numerous internal divisions and conflicts. However, every crisis, by definition, represents an opportunity, a true chance, to change things for the better. But, making it possible requires a dialogue and mutual respect,” Patriarch Porfirije said in an interview with Belgrade weekly NIN.

Patriarch Porfirije also proposed that a possible meeting place could be “under the aegis of the Church.”