Serbian Church Rejects European Parliament’s Accusations of Interference in Democratic Processes

Pravoslavie ^ | 3/15/22

[marshmallow]

The Serbian Orthodox Church considers its inclusion in a new European Parliament report on foreign interference in democratic processes in the EU to be completely unjustified and disappointed.

“The completely unjustified mentioning of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Resolution of the European Parliament on foreign interference in all democratic processes in the European Union, including disinformation, based solely on deep historical prejudices and tendentiously created stereotypes is not surprising, but is, indeed, deeply disappointing for us,” reads the Church’s new statement on the matter.

The European Parliament report calls out the Serbian Church twice, in connection with the promotion of traditional values and the Russian state:

is concerned about the attempts by the Orthodox Church in countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in its entity Republika Srpska, to promote Russia as a protector of traditional family values and fortify relations between state and church (§121);

Observes that foreign interference can also be pursued through influence in and the instrumentalisation of religious institutes, such as Russian influence in Orthodox churches, in particular in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in its Republika Srpska entity, Georgia and to some extent in Ukraine, including by sowing division among local populations, developing a biased writing of history and promoting an anti-EU agenda, Turkish Government influence through mosques in France and Germany, and Saudi Arabian influence through Salafi mosques across Europe promoting radical Islam (§131);

The report’s characterization of the Serbian Church “is completely contrary to the facts and the commitment of the Church in everyday life, and we therefore firmly reject such a position,” the Church responds.

Regarding the traditional values that the Serbian and Russian Churches hold in common, the Serbian Church statement notes that all Orthodox Churches hold the same values, as well as many other Christian.......

[BobL]

The Serbs better watch it. Only Islam is permitted by the EU.

[Long Jon No Silver]

Nato would love to bomb Serbia again. A freedom thing /s

[BobL]

“Nato would love to bomb Serbia again. A freedom thing /s”

They sure seemed to love it at the time.