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Controversy continues as to whether the Serbian president should have delivered a speech at the farewell of Metropolitan Amfilohije in Podgorica and why it did not happen.
The speech of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, at the funeral of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, Amfilohije, although desired at the top of the Serbian government, would not be good for Vučić himself and would only lead to the politicization of events, they estimate Danas’ interlocutors.
Photo: EPA-EFE / BORIS PEJOVICAfter the funeral of Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Litoral in Podgorica two days ago, which brought together tens of thousands of people and numerous politicians from the region, one of the main controversies in the Serbian public was whether the Serbian president should have said a word at the funeral and why it didn’t happen.
As Danas reported on the basis of unofficial information from the top leadership of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Episcopal Council did not consent to Vučić’s speech at the funeral.
On that occasion, the Minister of Defense, Nebojsa Stefanovic, also intervened, highlighting that the decision on Vucic’s departure to Montenegro was not easy, but Stefanovic said “imagine he did not leave, what would they say to him.” “I think it would be good to respect the late Metropolitan Amfilohije if President Vučić also spoke (which would be) and an additional political message,” the minister said.
Such politicization of the funeral was completely expected for Aleksandar Popov, director of the Center for Regionalism, given the undoubted political influence that the metropolitan had.
– However, he played a key role in the litigation that led to the change of government and decisively influenced Krivokapić to be put at the top of the list and become prime minister-designate. The greatest irony is that Metropolitan Amfilohije passed away when he became the most powerful man in Montenegro, Popov claimed.
Regarding the appearance of the Serbian president at the funeral, Popov points out that his arrival was “the most” necessary and useful for relations between the two countries at that time.
– I think the best was what Bishop Joanikije said: not to be invited to the funeral, but it would be desirable for Vučić to come. I am sure that there was a consensus among the church dignitaries and the representatives of the new Montenegrin government that it would not be useful or good for Vučić to speak at the funeral. That would raise questions as to why it confirmed that Serbia interfered with the elections and the change of government in Montenegro, and that it would continue to do so in the future. They found a measure to say: you are desirable but you don’t have to speak, and he took the opportunity to show the strengthening of his aid to the Serbs in Montenegro, Popov stressed.
He concludes that the Church in Montenegro has been left without an important factor of influence, but that it will continue to stand and implement what Amfilohije defended, and that in that sense there should be no major changes.
The funeral of Metropolitan Amfilohije and the gathering of a large number of believers on that occasion is, as Ivo Colovic of CeSiD for Danas points out, an event that shows how strong the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Litoral is in Montenegrin society.
As for the choice of speakers at the funeral, Colovic has the impression that they were carefully selected by the metropolitan himself.
– Among them were dignitaries of the church, as well as associates and closest friends of the late metropolitan and representatives of the state of Montenegro. This is how the appearance of the Church representatives should be interpreted – Patriarch Irinej, Monsignor Ioaniki as the logical successor of Metropolitan Amfilohije, Matija Bećković as a personal friend and Krivokapić and Bečić as representatives of the State, he emphasizes.
Colovic assesses the appearance of the Serbian president at the funeral as a reflection of respect for the late metropolitan and his actions, and believes that Vučić did not need to deal with protocol.
– It was an expression of respect by the state of Serbia towards the character and work of the late metropolitan. By respecting the protocol and the choice of speakers by the ICR, a further politicization of the metropolitan’s funeral and the possibility that the whole event had a different context was avoided – he emphasized.
Although the CCM’s influence in Montenegro is largely based on the authority of the late Metropolitan Amfilohije, Colovic believes that this influence will not diminish after his death, adding that Bishop Ioanikije is an extremely strong person who enjoys a reputation among the people of Montenegro. challenges that the ICR faces and that is also capable of continuing to lead the metropolis in the same direction.
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