Dramatic events in former Montenegrin Capital

Bozidar Bogdanovic (reserve officer of the Montenegrin Police) and his group again tried to break into the Orthodox church in Cetinje, but priest Radomir Nikcevic managed to defend the church and prevent the desecration.

Protopresbyter Radomir Nikcevic last night locked himself up in "Vlaska" church in Cetinje deciding to start a strictest possible fast (which means not taking any food or water). Since Mr. Nikcevic is a local Orthodox parish priest he considers himself responsible for the protection of Orthodox churches in Cetinje. He decided to take this step after successive, and yesterday several times repeated attacks of Mr. Bozidar -Bobo Bogdanovic and his group of thugs on Vlaska Cathedral church in Cetinje. Last night between midnight and 1.00 AM Bogdanovic's group again tried to break into the church but Nikcevic managed to defend the church and prevent the desecration.

Mr. Bozidar Bogdanovic is a reserve officer of the Montenegrin Police and a leader of a paramilitary organization called the "Montenegrin army" which was founded and openly promoted last year.

Mr. Miras Dedeic, the leader of a dangerous pseudo-religious organization, which calls itself the "Montenegrin orthodox church", announced the attack on Vlaska church. This organization was also officially registered only last year. Montenegrin Prime Minister Mr. Filip Vujanovic only few days ago in talks with the official representatives of the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral promised that the State of Montenegro would protect Vlaska church. So far nothing has been done to that effect.

Vlaska church was under reconstruction for months and the work was supposed to be finished by the 16^th of December this year when the announced Holy Liturgy with the participation of all the clergy of our Metropolitanate should have started off the annual meeting of all orthodox clergy. Restoration work that was almost finished was stopped because of the last night's attack.

This is obviously a continuation of similar uncivilized and brutal attempts of these godless, anti-Christian and anti-Orthodox montenegrin organizations. They have previously broken into several churches in Njegusi, Cevo, Bajice, Bajramovica, Djinovici, Milijevici and some other villages in the area known as Katunska Nahija. All these illegal actions have been supported in organizational terms and through the state controlled media by the current Montenegrin regime.

Attacks on Orthodox churches are being stepped up, as we are getting closer to the forthcoming elections in Serbia and the announced public referendum regarding the future status of Montenegro.

Orthodox Church in Montenegro (Orthodox Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral) is de facto being left without the protection of Montenegrin legal institutions.

Current Montenegrin regime will be held responsible in front of history and the civilized world for the imminent bloody confrontation between atheists and anti-christians on one side and those Montenegrins on the other side who are defending their shrines and their churches and who rightly feel that their present and their historical spiritual being is inextricably linked with these holy places. Current regime in Montenegro has an absolute responsibility regarding the outcome of the forthcoming events in Montenegro - for provoking the conflict or preventing it.

PRESS SERVICE
OF THE ORTHODOX METROPOLITANATE
OF MONTENEGRO AND THE LITTORAL

Metropolitanate of Montenegro and Littoral : English index