Bishop Irinej response to Zorana Mihajlovic: What did Patriarch say wrongly? (Sputnik)
Reaction of the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, Zorana Mihajlovic on the statement of the Patriarch Irinej given to Novosti daily and related to the internal dialogue on Kosovo, apart from being confused due to its illogic, causes doubts on the essence and possibility of a dialogue, the way it was described on several occasions by the President Vucic, said Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop of Backa Irinej, Sputnik reported.
“Mihajlovic in fact refutes and consciously impersonate Aleksandar Vucic’s invitation for the needed dialogue on the future of Serbs and all citizens of Serbia in our southern province,” Bishop Irinej said.
Mihajlovic earlier accused the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) Patriarch Irinej, and the entire SOC that allegedly “exercise pressure” upon Serbian President Vucic, in the eve of the internal dialogue on Kosovo.
By doing this, Mihajlovic in fact did what she groundlessly accused the Serbian Patriarch for, and “exercised a public pressure upon the Head of the Church and everybody in the church, so they would not dare to think using their own minds.”
Additionally, Mihajlovic decisively “singled out her opinion” and considers it superior comparing to the Church’s stance, respectively stance of the Serbian people.
Bishop Irinej, also asked: “Who has the right to impute in advance to Vucic political and moral Machiavellism?” Sputnik reported.
Meanwhile, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, in what could be perceived as reaction to Mihajlovic’s statement, said to Radio-Television of Vojvodina, it will be a dialogue of a wide circle of people in Serbia. “I won’t, as the Prime Minister, say I think this should be done or that should be done, but I will listen to all the sides, position and opposition, church and non-governmental organizations, because it is a dialogue lead by the President of the state”.