LAW ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE EU ACCESSION OF MONTENEGRO

The situation in Montenegro after the adaptation of the Law on Freedom of Religion and Legal Status of Religious Communities has been defined by massive protests, civil unrest and tense political situation. The main stakeholders are not just the biggest religious institutions in Montenegro – the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC- Srpska Pravoslavna Crkva) but also the major political parties and citizens who were coming out in the streets of all major cities of Montenegro in consecutive weeks after the law was adopted on 27th December 2019. Major protests in Montenegro went on for three months until restrictions on public gatherings were introduced in March as a measure to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Law was published in Montenegro’s Official Gazette (No. 74/2019) on 30th December and came into force on 8th January 2020. Evidently, the legislative procedure in the Parliament of Montenegro (Narodna Skupština) purposely took place during the festive season, as Cristian Orthodox believers of the SPC celebrated Christmas on 7th January. However, the plan of Montenegro’s ruling elite assembled within the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS - Demokratska partija socijalista Crne Gore) to pass the Law beyond the radar of the wider public, failed dramatically. DPS is the legal successor of the Communist party of Montenegro in former Yugoslavia, its president Milo Đukanović is also the President of Montenegro, and DPS along with its collation partners had the power in the country since the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, including the incumbent government 146 (2016-2020) until the general elections on August 30th this year. The sheer scale of civil protests in Montenegro is unprecedented not just in the modern Montenegrin state after it gained independence in 2006, but has never been recorded in its history.