Joanikije was questioned for allegedly covering up pedophilia in the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro

The Higher State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica has launched a reconnaissance against the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral (MOC) of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Ioannici, for allegedly covering up pedophilia, on the occasion of a report by the NGO Montenegro International, spokeswoman Lepa Medenica told Radio Free Europe. .

As she stated, Metropolitan Joanikije was questioned, and the competent judicial bodies of Serbia were asked to examine the witness, former deacon of the Serbian Orthodox Church Bojan Jovanović.

According to Medenica, the prosecution has not yet responded to the request to Serbia.

"After submitting the answers, the Prosecutor's Office will, after gathering the evidence and evaluating it, take other necessary measures and actions for which there is a need, and make a decision in the case," Medenica concluded.

Although the Prosecution has not yet responded, the media published a summons to Jovanovic for questioning in early July at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade as a witness. According to the invitation, the interrogation refers to the procedure against the MOC and Metropolitan Ioannicius for participating in covering up the crime of having sex with a child.

This case was previously before the Special State Prosecutor's Office in May last year, which handed it over to the Higher, as the competent one.

A reconnaissance is a process of checking the merits of a filed criminal complaint, after which the prosecutor decides whether to open an investigation.

Bojan Jovanovic, author of the book "Confession of How We Killed God", which talks about pedophilia within the church, scolded the Bishop of Budva-Niksic, the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, Joaniki, for covering up cases of pedophilia in the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the blessing of Metropolitan Amfilohije.

In May last year, Jovanovic said at a book promotion at the Njegos Library in Cetinje that "by stopping the investigation of Joanikije, he participated in covering up pedophilia in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro," and that Amfilohije participated in reviewing the material. he has known about everything for more than four decades. "

In the meantime, after the death of Amfilohije, Joanikije was elected Metropolitan of the Montenegrin-Primorski Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro.

He was enthroned on September 5, 2021 in Cetinje, with numerous incidents, dozens of injured and the engagement of strong police forces.

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The Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Joanikije, was enthroned in Cetinje with the incidents