Montenegro Detains Priest for Defying Ban on Gatherings
Authorities in Montenegro put a Serbian Orthodox Church priest in Budva in custody for 72 hours for violating government measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Fr Goran Bacan was arrested for holding a prayer meeting with 11 believers on Sunday in Rezevici Monastery, near the coastal resort of Budva.
“He violated the temporary measure that religious rites must be performed exclusively without the presence of believers,” the police said in a press realise.
On Sunday, police in the nearby resort of Kotor summoned another Serbian Orthodox priest with the initials M.B and three believers for questioning, for holding a religious service in a graveyard. According to police they also violated the government ban on gatherings of more than two people in public spaces.
On March 19, police summoned one of the top Serbian Orthodox Church priests in Montenegro, Momcilo Krivokapic, and his son Nemanja, for questioning for holding a service at a church in the town of Kotor.
Like most European countries, Montenegro has banned public gatherings, closed schools, cafes, restaurants, shopping malls, sports centres and most stores to curb the spread of the virus.
It has also banned more than two adults from riding in the same vehicle.
On Monday, the prosecution said it had filed over 100 criminal cases for violating the government measures to fight the spread of the coronavirus. Prosecutor Milica Andjelic Mandic said about half of the cases concerned violations in the capital Podgorica.
“There will be no tolerance for those who violate the government bans. Without exception, we are enforcing the law and anyone who violates the measures will be put in detention,” Mandic said.
Montenegro has confirmed 91 cases of the novel coronavirus while 6,278 people are under medical supervision.
As part of the measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, all religious communities in the multi-faith country temporarily stopped holding services in places of worship on March 13.
The Serbian Orthodox Church, the main faith community in the country, has also temporarily halted its protest marches, held since January, against the new Freedom of Religion law, which it claims could result in the seizure of church property by the state.
On March 18, Metropolitan Amfilohije, the leading Serbian Orthodox cleric in Montenegro, ordered all priests to read aloud a prayer against COVID-19 at the end of every service. Metropolitan Amfilohije also said that until the coronavirus epidemic ends, all Serbian Orthodox churches must ring their bells every two hours.
