METROPOLITAN FOTIJE: CERIĆ INVOKING WAR BY ANNOUNCING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ‘BOSNIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH’

BIJELJINA, JANUARY 10 /SRNA/ – His Eminence Metropolitan Fotije of Zvornik–Tuzla has said today that former head of the Islamic Community in BiH, Mustafa Cerić, by announcing the establishment of a "Bosnian Orthodox Church" /BOC/, is announcing war in the territory of BiH.

Metropolitan Fotije noted that Cerić’s words about a “ ‘Bosnian Orthodox Church’smell of the incense of the Second World War, when the notorious Independent State of Croatia /NDH/ was created,” which left behind hundreds of thousands of innocent victims belonging to all peoples who lived in BiH. "Are you aware that by establishing the BOC you are releasing from the bottle the spirits of NDH fascism, the Home Guard, the Handžar Division, Jasenovac, and other camps of the Second World War; that by announcing the renewed formation of the BOC you are, consciously or unconsciously, announcing that time from the beginning of the Second World War - a time of destruction, innocent victims, and mutual extermination of peoples?" the Serbian Orthodox Church metropolitan said. In a text published on the website of the Zvornik–Tuzla Diocese, Metropolitan Fotije emphasized that with such an announcement Cerić is invoking war in BiH, not peace, because the BOC is by no means a creation of peace, but a creation of war. "We hope and we will pray to God, Mr. Cerić, that your idea does not come to true, because it would mean disaster for all peoples living in BiH and Republika Srpska. By announcing your BOC, you are opting for war, not peace - we know that ordinary people are weary of wars," Metropolitan Fotije said. Reacting to a text published on the portal Slobodna Bosna/Free Bosnia, in which Cerić presents his "thinking on the justified need to establish, i.e. restore the `Bosnian Orthodox Church,`" Metropolitan Fotije noted that this is not the first time Cerić has made such announcements, but that this time it appears much more serious. The bishop added that in his text Cerić says the BOC would be proof of the historical continuity of BiH, a factor of peace, and a servant of the “Bosnian state.” "Cerić sees this as the fulfillment of all ideals of spirituality, the continuity of the `Bosnian state,` and the continuity of the BOC," the metropolitan added. Metropolitan Fotije noted that Cerić does not mention Republika Srpska and seems more inclined to speak about phantom creations such as the BOC, rather than Republika Srpska and the Serbian Orthodox Church, which has legitimately existed for centuries in the territory of BiH.