Selaković: Picula has no right to wash his hands of the responsibility of EU institutions for the violence of extremists in Cetinje

Serbia, I emphasize once again, cannot in any way be responsible for the fact that a group of extremists tried to thwart an ancient religious ritual and thus suspend the most elementary religious rights of a large percentage of Montenegrin citizens.

For days before the incident in Cetinje, high-ranking Serbian officials expressed their expectation and hope in public appearances that the enthronement of Metropolitan Joanikije would not be politically abused by part of the Montenegrin political establishment.

Our concern was justified due to the fact that the ceremony was attended by the patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as is customary, for whose security both the state structures of Serbia and its citizens expressed understandable interest.

Obviously, the biggest guilt of Serbia is that it is successfully developing, recording great economic successes, and that it firmly holds the first place in the region in terms of GDP growth, wage growth and the level of attracted foreign investments.

It is clear to us that such a Serbia is not to the liking of many, so they are able to direct all kinds of criticism that have nothing to do with reality.

Despite this orchestrated campaign of attacks on Serbia, the country remains committed to building peace and stability in the region and promoting and strengthening economic cooperation with its neighbors.

Picula also has no right to wash his hands of the responsibility of EU institutions for the violence of extremists in Cetinje, because he probably would not even be there if a clear message had arrived from Brussels in time that respect for religious rights is a European value and that an attack on that value will not be tolerated.

Such a message would not be based on sympathies or antipathies towards any of the political actors in Montenegro, but would be based on the fundamental principles of the EU.

It is clear to us that, when it comes to the Serbian people and their rights, EU principles often do not exist, but if that is already the case, MEP Picula should at least be polite enough not to make unfounded post festum accusations that turn the victim into a culprit.