Podgorica Higher State Prosecutor’s Office opens case against Metropolitan Metodije over glorification of Ratko Mladić

The Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica has opened a case against Metropolitan Metodije of Budimlje and Nikšić over the glorification of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić.

The institution headed by Duško Milanović told Vijesti that a case had been opened against Metodije on suspicion of the criminal offence of inciting national, racial and religious hatred.

- We inform you that, following a review of the official records of the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Podgorica, it has been established that a case has been opened against Metropolitan Metodije of Budimlje and Nikšić in connection with the criminal offence of inciting national, racial and religious hatred - the response to the newsroom stated.

On August 28, at Piva Monastery, Metodije said that the people had „recognised in Mladić all those wonderful and sacred qualities of Serbian warriors and knights“.

- May the Most Holy Mother of God, whose Dormition we are celebrating, raise his soul among all the holy Serbian knights, the renowned General Ratko - he said.

A statement published on the website of the Eparchy of Budimlje and Nikšić said that, following the liturgy, a „memorial service was held for the newly departed servant of God, General Ratko Mladić“.

Mladić, who was found guilty by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia of genocide in Srebrenica, crimes against humanity and violations of the laws and customs of war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, died on August 27 and was buried in Belgrade yesterday.

Vijesti reported today that the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Bijelo Polje had dismissed criminal complaints against Metodije, finding that there was nothing objectionable in his speeches last year in which he glorified the notorious Chetnik commander Pavle Đurišić.

The institution headed by Katarina Kljajević told the newspaper yesterday that it had opened cases against Metodije over the criminal offence of inciting national, racial and religious hatred in connection with his speeches about Đurišić at Podmalinsko Monastery in early June last year, as well as two months later in the village of Gornje Zaostro near Berane, where a monument to the war criminal was erected and subsequently removed. However, both criminal complaints against Metodije were dismissed.