You are reading daily contextual review of the news that marked the previous day.
By Ljubomir Filipović, CdM observer
Problems with the law?
Even though the URA Main Board decided to back the amendments to the Religious Freedom Law, it looks like something went wrong, so the announced agenda for the last parliament’s sitting for this year won’t include discussion and voting over this matter. One may think that some URA MPs would disagree with the amendment, but I personally don’t believe it.
The DPS and the SD fiercely criticized the civic URA movement for this decision, while URA responded by recognizing the unlawful registration of property by the Serbian Orthodox Church, and still decided to support this lawlessness and hand over the Montenegrin temples to foreign religious communities.
Problems with the law
Head of the Real Estate Administration and the SD official, Mr Dragan Kovačević, was apprehended yesterday for registering his son’s house in the coastal zone. The Deputy Prime Minister used the opportunity for self-promotion, noting that the “fight against corruption has started”. Recall, the Special State Prosecutor’s Office and the Special Police Unit have so far arrested many more serious politicians, and even some mayors. Mr Nebojša Medojević reflected on this event, saying that it was just another deception, while MANS told that Mr Kovačević should have been arrested for many more serious offences. The Liber Party urged the authorities to arrest Mayor of Budva, Mr Marko Carević, for the same reason.
Flexible restrictions
The Ministry of Health has eased the coronavirus measures following the public’s pressure. The Defender of Human Rights has opened up a case in this regard. Owners of hospitality venues across the country seek to ease the measures and announce rallies. The new administration seems to struggle and lacks willingness and knowledge to make the epidemiological situation better. It was easy to blame the National Coordination Body as an outsider. They just changed the name, but measures remain unpopular.
The SPC doesn’t want to make problems for their minister and announced that there wouldn’t be an organized burning of the badnjak [an oak branch that is the local variant of Christmas tree] or any other form of gathering. We’ll see.
Clericalism of society
Mr Andrija Mandić proposes that religious history classes in schools should be introduced, having in mind the number of people that took part in the religious processions.
In Budva, ‘Božić Bata’ [Santa Claus] came to visit children from the coast, wearing the crown and priestly robes, looking like St. Nikola. I’m afraid the same scenario will happen at the state level, both in politics and clericalism.
Marina’s clashes with the previous govt
I don’t know about you, but I’m not pleased to see Ms Marina Jočić as the head of National Park Governing Board, especially when I know that ‘green’ URA backed her appointment. Marina started her days in the new job by clashing with the former government, and I don’t think we are going to hear about her vision for the development of Montenegrin natural resources. According to my information, the executive director comes from the DF, so it remains unclear how’s URA going to carry out its green agenda.
