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Верзија на Македонски

The Schism in FYRMacedonia

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section: holy synod of bishops\announcements

16.05.2012

On its today’s meeting, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church expressed its protest against the imprisonment of His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, and condemned that incomparable violence and persecution conducted under the guise of legal order.

At the same time, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, among the other addresses, sent an appeal for an immediate release of Archbishop Jovan also to the Government of R. Macedonia, having in mind that according to the relevant international reports, the political decisions in our country indisputably have an effect on the court decisions. Subsequently, we enclose in its fullness the announcement of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

After years of persecution, harassment, arrests and imprisonments, His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr Dr. John, pan-Orthodoxly renowned and recognized canonical Prelate of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric, was sentenced on May 11th, to two and a half years in prison under false charges of alleged fraud and embezzlement, the result of a politically motivated and staged pseudotrial of a Stalinist-type, organized upon the blatant request of the schismatic organization calling itself “The Macedonian Orthodox Church”. He was sentenced solely because of His unwavering commitment to the unity of the Church of God; because of his communion with the Serbian Patriarchate and thereby with universal Orthodoxy worldwide; and because of his persistent and confessional fight against the schismatic mentality and anti-Ecclesiastical ethnophiletism. This is a unique case in contemporary Europe – if not in the whole civilized world – of the authorities, by order, to commit an act of cruel violence and an atrocity upon the Orthodox Church and Her lawful senior representatives, most violently breaking both their own laws and international norms and conventions.

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, under whose canonical jurisdiction the autonomous Ohrid Archbishopric is, from its regular assembly in May, protests and condemns this incomparable violence and persecution conducted under the guise of legal order. The Assembly is always with the brothers and sisters from the Ohrid Archbishopric, in prayer and evangelic love, and especially with their Shepherd, who patiently endures suffering for the unity of Christ’s holy Orthodox Church. He is suffering for justice and the authorities are keeping him under a strict-regime prison, despite his serious health condition. At the same time the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church calls:

to provide spiritual, moral, legal and any other possible support to the prisoner of conscience, the Archbishop John, and to contribute to his release from prison as soon as possible.

Belgrade, May 16th, 2012

The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church

section: news


→ Ελληνικά

11.05.2012

Upon the persistent demand by the schismatic organization MOC (Macedonian Orthodox Church), the judge Tanja Mileva from the Court of First Instance in Veles today pronounced the verdict which states: two and a half years of imprisonment for His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan!

The judge Tanja Mileva was born on 02.02.1980 and was elected a judge on 01.09.2009. Only one and a half month after that election, i.e. already on 15.10.2009, after the dismissal of the judge Valentin Zafirov who on two terms released Archbishop Jovan, as a judge in the process against Archbishop Jovan was set Tanja Mileva, who also then, in an exceptionally short term, and in his absence sentenced Archbishop Jovan to two and a half years of imprisonment. The same verdict was again confirmed by the judge Tanja Mileva today.

An impression is made that such court processes are a perfect illustration for the many times repeated conclusion by the international community, that Macedonian courts are corrupted and that they make decisions under a strong influence of the political authorities. Consequently, due to such political verdicts, all citizens of R. Macedonia are becoming hostages and are paying the price for the distancing from the civilized democratic currents.

However, this trial would not have happened at all, had there not been a persistent demand by the schismatic MOC: a court process to be carried out in which Archbishop Jovan would, at any cost, be sentenced. Therefore, through this court process all the lies of the schismatic organization MOC are brought into the daylight. Namely, since for them it was necessary to negotiate with the Serbian Orthodox Church, the schismatics were declaratively making statements that they wanted to negotiate their return to Orthodoxy, but actually they had never listened to the Serbian Patriarch about the basic precondition for the negotiations, and the precondition was solely that all politically motivated rigged court persecutions against Archbishop Jovan and the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric are stopped. They were cordially received in Belgrade, and they abused the good will of their hosts with small-town slandering against Archbishop Jovan, which obviously only they believe in, without having, at the same time, an elementary ecclesiastical awareness that Archbishop Jovan is the true address for the solution of their problem.

Now, with the verdict against Archbishop Jovan, the catholic Orthodoxy is recognizing the state-sponsored schismatic organization MOC only as a confirmed and fierce persecutor of the canonical Church in R. Macedonia. Today anyone can see the difference between, on one side, the schismatic organization MOC as a cruel persecutor of Christ and the Church, and on the other side, the persecuted for the orthodox faith – Archbishop Jovan and the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, whose prelate he is.

From today, each of the clergymen of the schismatic organization MOC could consider returning to the canonical Orthodoxy, only as an act of personal metanoia.

section: news

10.05.2012

On today’s court hearing, on demand by the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) which took place in the Court of First Instance in Veles, and which the judge Tanja Mileva rescheduled from May 16 to May 10, thus denying Archbishop Jovan’s basic right to prepare his defense, it was confirmed that it is a case of a rigged process by the political authorities in collaboration with the schismatic MOC, against His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan.

Namely, the judge Tanja Mileva, who had today’s hearing scheduled for 15.00 hours has expressly rejected the suggestion of the defense that the schismatic archbishop Stefan and the schismatic metropolitan Petar be heard, the reason being, that according to the court “there is already enough evidence according to which the court can determine the facts”.

The Court also rejected the suggestion of the defense that a new expertise is carried out, which would be performed in presence of the Archbishop Jovan, because the court determined that “there are no conditions for performing a new expertise”.

The lawyer of the defense, Vasil Georgiev, indicated to the judge Tanja Mileva that with such actions, the court makes a severe violation of the Convention for protection of the human rights and freedoms, articles 3-b, 3-v and 3-g, according to which it is determined that it is necessary that the accused is provided time and conditions for preparation of the defense, and that he is allowed to call and examine witnesses. The lawyer Vasil Georgiev stated that the court refused to call the schismatic archbishop Stefan and the schismatic bishop Petar as witnesses, although their coming to testify would be of an exceptional importance, having in mind that it is exactly they who knew the way Archbishop Jovan had worked.

Due to the rescheduling of the trial from May 16 to May 10, through which Archbishop Jovan was denied the time for preparation of the defense, due to the refusal to call witnesses and due to not allowing an expertise in presence of Archbishop Jovan, which according to the lawyer represent severe violations by the judge Tanja Mileva, the lawyer invoking the legal right, requested for exemption of the judge Tanja Mileva from the court process. This request of the lawyer Vasil Georgiev, was expressly refused by the judge Tanja Mileva, who announced that the verdict against Archbishop Jovan is to be pronounced tomorrow, on May 11, at 10.00 hours.

It should be noted that although the trial of Archbishop Jovan was of public character, the judge Tanja Mileva, after the 5 minute break did not allow any of the Bishops, priests, monks and faithful people of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric to enter the courtroom. She did that without any explanation, and with scandalous use of force by the court police. Today’s trial lasted less than half an hour, and practically was carried out in secrecy, even the journalists were absent, as by a political dictate, having in mind that Freedom House names many of them “political appointees”.

The court process in whole looks like the court processes from the times of the totalitarian regimes and it confirms the conclusion of the international community in regard to the Macedonian courts, that they are corrupted institutions which make decisions by political dictation. Probably the best illustration of the mentioned conclusions of the international community is the judge Tanja Mileva with her actions for hurried sentencing and pronouncing of a verdict against the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan.

section: news

09.05.2012

The Information Service of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric has informed the public that at the end of the hearing against Archbishop Jovan, which took place in the Court of First Instance in Veles on May 7, 2012, the judge Tanja Mileva scheduled the next hearing for May 16, the reason being that it is the elementary minimum time in which Archbishop Jovan would be able to read the findings of the expertise (of 160 pages), and hence be able to prepare his stance in regard to the mentioned expertise.

But, on May 8, i.e. only one day after she has officially announced to Archbishop Jovan and the public that she schedules the next hearing for May 16, the judge Tanja Mileva, through a fax sent to the lawyer of the defense, Vasil Georgiev, informs that she is rescheduling the trial for six days earlier, i.e. for May 10! At the same time, for this scandalous behavior of the court authorities to be even more terrifying, the judge Tanja Mileva has made a telephone call to the court in Bitola and obtained cancellation of all trials that the lawyer Vasil Georgiev had scheduled for May 10 in Bitola, with the purpose that he comes to the trial that she schedules in Veles.

With this scandalous behavior of the judge Tanja Mileva, behavior that, according to our information, is not remembered in the contemporary judicial practice, it seems that the court is bringing into question the functioning of the judicial system and the laws, by ripping the state constitution by the seams.

In this case, it is too obvious that the judge Tanja Mileva, literally over one night had received a political order to reschedule the already rigged court process against Archbishop Jovan. Let us suppose that even if she had any justified reasons for these actions, for example – a journey, then why would not she reschedule the trial after her return from that journey, for example May 17! In this manner, the judge Tanja Mileva is hindering the basic right of Archbishop Jovan to prepare his defense, and at the same it remains undoubtedly clear that Archbishop Jovan cannot prolong the trial due to the undeniable fact that, despite his worsened health condition, he is in detention. An impression is made that through the indicated scandalous behavior, the court has no interest for a legal court proceeding and that the verdict has already been written, it is only hasting to pronounce it.

This announcement at the same time represents an appeal towards all persons from the domestic and the international public who can assist the prevention of such brutal violations of the human rights and religious freedoms by the court; and at the same time contribute to the fulfillment of the euro-atlantic democratic values in regard to the respect of the human rights and the religious freedoms of all citizens equally.

section: news

07.05.2012

On todays court hearing against His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, upon a request by the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), that took place in the Court of First Instance in Veles, as a witness was called the expert Ilko Petrusevski, employed in the Bureau for Court Expertise, who together with Ivan Georgievski, Gena Stojanovska and Zivko Latinski performed the expertise in regard to the case in which the schismatic MOC is accusing Archbishop Jovan.

Upon the question posed by the lawyer of the defense, Vasil Georgiev, to the expert Ilko Petrusevski, to answer before the court and the public whether the expertise proved that Archbishop Jovan had gained funds for himself, the judge Tanja Mileva explicitly forbad the expert to answer the posed question.

From todays court hearing very indicative turned out to be the fact that Archbishop Jovan, who is still with a visibly worsened health state, had not been delivered, by the Court, the findings of the expertise regarding which he was required to make his stance today.

In the course of the hearing, the expert Ilko Petrusevski stated that he does not know whether in the other dioceses of the schismatic MOC the accounting practices were the same as the ones in the dioceses where Archbishop Jovan was Bishop, because he, as an expert, from the Court had received an order to perform expertise only there where Archbishop Jovan was responsible. Although Archbishop Jovan is being accused of embezzlement in the diocese of Prespa and Pelagonija, where he was not the responsible Hierarch, but a vicar Bishop, the expert Ilko Petrusevski stated that he did not remember whether during the expertise it was established who had the executive function in the diocese of Prespa and Pelagonija, Archbishop Jovan or the schismatic Bishop Petar, adding that for some parts of the accusation an expertise had not been made, and for other parts, he, as expert, was not present. Therefore, apart from a new expertise, it will be necessary that the Court calls as witnesses: the schismatic archbishop Stefan and the schismatic bishop Petar.

The lawyer of the defense, Vasko Georgiev, requested from the judge Tanja Mileva that a new expertise is performed, but this time, in the presence of Archbishop Jovan, hence he would visit the dioceses of the schismatic MOC together with the expert and the Public Prosecutor, where they would be presented the closing accounts, so that all the relevant facts could be determined, following which Archbishop Jovan could make a stance before the court. Having in mind that the first expertise was carried out in the absence of Archbishop Jovan, and in the course of the court process it was proved that false documents had been added (the false decision of Dimko Milanov), the lawyer Vasko Georgiev stressed before the court that the new expertise in the presence of Archbishop Jovan is his guaranteed right and the authenticity of the court process would be brought into question if an expertise in the presence of the defendant would be omitted.

It is necessary to point out that the judge Tanja Mileva is fully prohibiting the presence of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric in the court-room, or restricting it on one or two members, although there are vacant seats in the court-room and despite the fact that the trial is of public character.

Having in mind also the international reports that point out the great influence of the political authorities in the courts, with the abovementioned actions the Court in Veles leaves the impression that it is attempting to protect the schismatic MOC, whose monopoly is obviously protected by the state through the organization of court processes against Archbishop Jovan in the last 10 years, and through the non-implementation of the new law for registration of religious communities.

The trial against Archbishop Jovan was followed by representatives of OSCE and the consul of R. Serbia in R. Macedonia.

The next hearing is scheduled for May 16.

section: news

03.05.2012

Despite his worsened health condition, the court process against Archbishop Jovan, upon a request by the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) did continue on May 2, in the Court of First Instance in Veles.

Unlike the previous trials, when Archbishop Jovan was acquitted, this time the public prosecutor has based his attack also upon the Constitution of the schismatic MOC, and the court has accepted this, leaving the impression that Archbishop Jovan should be trialed according to the Constitution of the schismatic MOC and not according to the laws of R. Macedonia.

At a time when from various sides appeals arrive for the release of Archbishop Jovan, which at the same time represents a condition for MOCs eventual negotiation for their return into the orthodox world, the representative of the schismatic MOC, the 58-year-old Dimitar Belcovski was decisive in the stance that MOC remains on the request for criminal and material prosecution of Archbishop Jovan.

Archbishop Jovan indicated that as a monk and a bishop, as a man who gave an oath for non-acquisition, as a man who has not formed his own family, he was always caring only for the diocesian property, and he left the Diocese in better condition than the one he had found it in.

On the trial held on May 2, part of the witnesses gave different statements than the previously given ones (e.g 53-year-old Fana Risteska); a major part of them stated that, while they had worked with Archbishop Jovan, they had not received objections from any of the financial revisions by the higher instances in regard to their accounting practices (e.g. 56-year-old Mile Strbevski, 56-year-old Taki Risteski, 37-year-old Tony Petrusevski). Other witnesses claimed that Archbishop Jovan had not worked properly, but answering the question posed by the lawyer Vasil Georgiev, whether they had reported that improper practice, they responded that they "did not report it to anyone", which according to the laws makes them accomplices in that what they are accusing of (e.g. 64-year-old Stojko Ristovski). Almost all witnesses, however, answered most of the questions with the answer: "I do not remember", given the fact that the Court is trialing Archbishop Jovan also for events that occurred 14 years ago.

Having in mind the abovestated, the court refused to call the remaining witnesses on the subsequent hearings, and decided to read the statements they had given when Archbishop Jovan was trialed in absentia, hence forgetting that the previous verdict for Archbishop Jovan has been abolished and that this process is started as a completely new process in which new evidence is brought. In this way, the lawyer Vasil Georgiev and Archbishop Jovan will be not be allowed to pose questions to the witnesses in the new process.

Also, it is necessary to stress that a part of the journalists (that Freedom House names "political appointees"), continued to spread untruths, adding to the accusations against Archbishop Jovan that he "with money given on hand has bought a BMW SUV" ("Vecer" no. 14981), which is not true, because such event and such SUV do not exist in the court process. In the propaganda war, which many journalists run against Archbishop Jovan and the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, it has never been mentioned that all purchased automobiles, tractors, all land under concession, libraries, marble pillars, the building "Malina", the church economy "Resurrection", for which the schismatic MOC is accusing Archbishop Jovan, had not in any moment been property of Archbishop Jovan, but rather, until this day, all they remain property exactly of the schismatic MOC, and for that reason the Court of First Instance in Veles has twice acquitted Archbishop Jovan. Also, the Court of Appeals in Bulgaria, which denied the extradition of Archbishop Jovan, was astonished when it saw that the schismatic MOC accuses him of "embezzlement" of the funds that he as Bishop had paid as salaries to the employees, "embezzlement" even of those funds with which the diocesian bills for electricity etc. had been paid! Exactly for that reason, the Bulgarian Court released Archbishop Jovan with the rationale that "the financial embezzlement for which Archbishop Jovan is accused of is nothing else but a political persecution on religious grounds."

This trial, which seems to put the Court of First Instance in Veles in position of an ecclesiastical, and not a state court, continues on May 7, 2012.

section: news

01.05.2012

In the latest Freedom House reports on the freedom of the press, our homeland remains rated as a “partly free” country, while the latest marks show its significant downgrade, and this time are classifying it as the country with the lowest level of freedom of the press in comparison to, for example, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro.

Apart from the noteworthy exceptions, the greatest part of the domestic journalists, in regard to Archbishop Jovan and the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric are almost as by rule spreading hate speech, non-truth and libels. In the reports of Freedom House it is openly indicated that “most of the media… are tied to political interests that influence their content”.

Freedom House has on several occasions made a stance about the disrespect of the religious freedoms in our country, as well as the dispute with the “breakaway Macedonian Orthodox Church”, and in their latest report the reason for which Archbishop Jovan is being persecuted by the domestic judiciary is unquestionably stated, i.e. the report decisively writes that “Bishop Jovan has been repeatedly jailed for his religious activities”.

All this, together with the total absence of an objective and non-unilateral public debate on these burning issues, results in Macedonia being declared a country with the least freedom in the region, a mark that distances it from the European civilization values.

section: news

26.04.2012

The court proceeding against His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, upon a demand by the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church, which was scheduled for April 26 in the Court of First Instance in Veles did not take place. The reason for the postponing was the worsened health condition of Archbishop Jovan.

Once more the stance of Freedom House that certain journalists in our homeland are acting as “political appointees” was confirmed. Again, as many times before, spreading hate speech, libels and not truth, part of the journalists (Dnevnik 23.04.2012, Makfax 23.04.2012 and others) in an unprofessional manner and without respect for the basic human ethics wrote that Archbishop Jovan was “prolonging the trial”, “buying time”, and other expressions not suitable for mentioning.

Contrary to the abovementioned, on today’s court proceeding, the judge Tanja Mileva announced that the Court in Veles had received an official confirmation by a specialist doctor which testifies that His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan has serious problems with his health and had been prescribed several days of stillness, after which additional examinations of his health condition are to follow.

In the context of the previously mentioned, also the authorities of R. Macedonia themselves are admitting that the prisons in R. Macedonia are in a catastrophic condition (24Vesti, 25.01.2012). Furthermore, in such conditions, the Court in Veles refused to allow a proxy to bring Archbishop Jovan food and medicaments, and the prison authorities and doctors are refusing to give information about his health condition.

The next proceeding is scheduled by the judge Tanja Mileva, expressly, for May 2. Vasko Georgiev, the lawyer of Archbishop Jovan, announced that prior to it, it would be required that it is determined whether the health condition of Archbishop Jovan would allow him from the prison in Suto Orizari to come to the Court of First Instance in Veles.

section: archbishop\announcements

25.04.2012

The court proceeding regarding the case that the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church has raised against His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan was scheduled for April 23, the current year. But on that day, Archbishop Jovan was not brought to the Court of First Instance in Veles.

The proceeding did not take place, following which many speculations about his health condition circulated through the media, without having, at the same time, elementary correctness towards the person about whom it was written.

The judge Tanja Mileva scheduled the next proceeding for April 26, the current year, stressing that if Archbishop Jovan, and even his lawyer Vasko Georgiev, do not come on the scheduled term, the trial will take place at any cost, by means of her pointing a lawyer ex officio. With such action the judge Tanja Mileva is consciously violating the law on criminal proceedings according to which the defendant has the right to be trialed in his presence, and be defended by himself, or by a lawyer of his choice.

Having in mind that Archbishop Jovan is imprisoned in a most strict regime, and it is not simple to come to an information about his health state, on April 24, due to concern regarding his health, His Eminence Bishop of Bregalnica and Administrator of Bitola Marko and members of the family of Archbishop Jovan made phone calls to the prison in Suto Orizari, but unfortunately, the prison authorities and the medical personnel stated that they were not entitled to give information about the health of Archbishop Jovan.

However, the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric came to verified information that Archbishop Jovan had serious problems with his spine and that on April 24 he was taken for an examination to a specialist doctor, who prescribed several days of lying still, after which he would need to go for a reexamination and x-ray scanning of his spine.

Having in mind the above mentioned circumstances, it seems as if the Court in Veles is prohibiting Archbishop Jovan to be ill! At the same time, the undeniable fact that Archbishop Jovan is being detained should be taken into account, and when a man becomes ill while in detention, he indeed cannot be present on the court proceedings, while the detention itself points out that the avoidance of the court proceeding is impossible.

The court should have in mind the health state of Archbishop Jovan and not repeat the same mistake from the past and continue the trial of Archbishop Jovan in his absence.

section: news


→ Ελληνικά

19.04.2012

The Archbishop of America of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and Chairman of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America with seat in New York, Archbishop Demetrios, sent a letter to the US Secretary of State, Ms. Hilary Clinton, in which he expressed his deep concern regarding the imprisonment of the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, and requested his immediate release.

In his addressing to the US Secretary of State, Ms. Hilary Clinton, Archbishop Demetrios of America points out: “in the name of the 65 Hierarchs who are part of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, I would like to draw Your attention to the truly sad situation in which Archbishop of Ohrid Jovan is found”, and adds: “his arrest has several years long history, from the time when the schismatic church of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia began the persecution of Archbishop Jovan, the canonical Archbishop of Ohrid. The church of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is not recognized by any canonical Orthodox Church in the world, and her constitution by the internal powers is only one more example of action which is contrary to what is right and what is proper, and what is in accordance with the Canonical right of the Orthodox Church across the ecumene.

Archbishop Demetrios in his letter to Ms. Hilary Clinton also states: “With the members of our Assembly who reside and serve to the orthodox believers in the United States, we very much appreciate what our country is doing in the world regarding the human rights, religious freedoms and the protection of the human dignity and security of each person. Archbishop Jovan has been unjustly imprisoned while he was attempting to fulfill his religious obligations and we sincerely hope that our Government will intercede in his name and request his release on freedom.

We are deeply grateful to You for your unceasing efforts, especially for the improvement of the religious freedoms around the world. As Orthodox Christians, the most suitable way to express our gratitude is to continue to pray for You and for all our civil authorities, and pray that God be with You and greatly multiply Your noble efforts for America and for the whole world”, are the words with which Archbishop Demetrios concludes his appeal for immediate release of Archbishop Jovan, an appeal addressed to the US Secretary of State, Ms. Hilary Clinton.

section: news

29.03.2012

Today at 12.00 hours at the Court of First Instance in Veles, upon a request by the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), the retrial against His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, has begun.

In order to ensure his presence on the court process, Archbishop Jovan on 17th February 2012 was ruled detention in the “Sutka” prison, despite the fact that according to the law of R. Macedonia, for the deed for which he is accused of, the measure “detention” is not foreseen.

His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan was brought to the Court of First Instance in Veles with handcuffs on his hands. At the beginning of the proceeding, Mr. Vasko Georgiev, lawyer of Archbishop Jovan, brought out the fact that the court had not sent an invitation for the trial to Archbishop Jovan and asked for postponing of the court process, so that Archbishop Jovan can know the date of the next proceeding and would have the time to prepare his defense. Not sending the invitation to Archbishop Jovan by the Court represents a tendentious moment, since it means bringing to trial, without giving the defendant the possibility to prepare his defense.

Having in mind the reports of the international community, where it is stated that the Macedonian courts are subject to political pressures and corruption, and their reformation is the first condition for the entry of R. Macedonia in the European Union, in front of the domestic and the international public we express our fears that the court process against Archbishop Jovan would continue to be a politically rigged process. In the addition to the above said, we indicate that for this accusation by the schismatic MOC, Archbishop Jovan has already once been sentenced by the Macedonian courts, but for the exactly same process the Court of Appeals of a country member of the European Union, R. Bulgaria, has released him with the explanation that “the trial and the financial embezzlement Archbishop Jovan is accused of represent nothing else but a politically rigged process on religious grounds”.

section: archbishop\announcements

19.03.2012

After two acquittal verdicts by the Court of First Instance in Veles (April 2006 and April 2007), and after the refusal of the extradition and the acquittal verdict by the Court of Appeals in Sofia, Bulgaria (January 2011), upon the persistent demands by the Synod of the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), for the same case for which, as indicated, he was acquitted, on 12th December 2011 His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan was arrested again, and imprisoned in the central prison “Idrizovo”.

The rigged court processes and the state persecution on religious grounds against Archbishop Jovan, the courts in Macedonia and the schismatic MOC initiated ten years ago, only because of the different religious beliefs of Archbishop Jovan, due to what he was declared a “Prisoner of conscience” by Amnesty International already in 2005.

During the latest imprisonment, after more than two months spent in the “Idrizovo” prison, on 17th February 2012 Archbishop Jovan was transferred to the remaind prison “Sutka”, where he was ruled detention in duration of one month.

When it was expected that the application for release from detention would be accepted, since according to the law, for the deed for which he is accused of, detention is not foreseen, so Archbishop Jovan would have the possibility to defend himself from freedom, upon the insisting of the schismatic MOC, who initiated the mentioned court process, in the last moment, on 17th March 2012, with a fax sent to the “Sutka” prison, the detention rule for Archbishop Jovan has been prolonged for one month, i.e. until after Pascha, until 17th April 2012.

Through the legal advisers who, in accordance with their official duty had the right to visit him only once, we learned that Archbishop Jovan had his shoelaces removed, was allowed to speak with them only through a glass-barrier, was not allowed to be visited by his close people, has no timely medical care for his health state and medical treatment, large portion of the food which was sent to him for the Lent has been returned, there is no possibility to bring the Holy Communion to him…

Despite all that, Archbishop Jovan feels joyful and sends his Archpastoral blessing to the believers of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

The international community years-long through its reports (and on the latest occasion, that was made on 15th March 2012 by the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Mr. Štefan Füle) points out to the all Macedonian governments the essential deficiency that distances the Macedonian society from the civilized democracies. Undoubtedly, that is the absence of the governing of the right and the corruption of the courts.

It is exactly that proverbial, corrupted judiciary, which in politically rigged processes in the last ten years for the sixth time puts Archbishop Jovan behind bars and persistently denies the registration of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric. The latest prolongation of the detention for Archbishop Jovan is only one in the series of confirmations that the authorities of R. Macedonia not only are not respecting the religious freedoms of all citizens equally, but instead of finding solutions for the severe violation of the religious freedoms, they additionally produce problems and cause instability.

section: archbishop\announcements

17.01.2012

His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, on January 16th, in the afternoon hours, was transferred from the prison reception section to the closed section of the “Idrizovo” prison.

Although the procedure of deciding whether he should be allowed a retrial and be released free pending trial is still not finished, the prison authorities decided to put Archbishop Jovan in the section where the sanctions with strictest treatment are executed.

The sentence that Archbishop Jovan received in the court process in which he was sentenced in his absence is two years and 6 months imprisonment, which is not at all a sentence deserving the strictest closed treatment, since other prisoners, sentenced to much longer prison terms, are receiving the open, or the semi-open treatment.

According to the information reaching the public, that decision is the result of the demands of the schismatic “Macedonian Orthodox Church” (MOC) which insisted Archbishop Jovan be confined under most strict prison conditions, and make all communications outside the prison more difficult for him.

From the Office of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and Metropolitanate of Skopje.

section: news

17.01.2012

The Dean of the Theological Faculty in Thessaloniki and Professor of History and Contemporary Life of the Slavic and the other Orthodox Churches, Mr. Michael Tritos, for Romfea.gr commented the latest, fifth imprisonment of Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan, in the “Idrizovo” prison.

Among other things, the Dean Mr. Michael Tritos highlighted the following:

Lately, with pain in our souls and with indignation, we are witnessing the brutal violation of the human rights in the personality of the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan. This hierarch-martyr is repeatedly receiving convicting verdicts from the courts in Skopje, because he had the courage to proclaim that the church in Skopje is schismatic and despises the basic principles of the orthodox christian ecclesiology, while favoring ethnophiletistic causes. In the beginning he was accused for inciting religious and national hatred. Latest, he is accused of money embezzlement.

Unfortunately, a country that claims it respects the human rights and religious freedoms and wishes to enter NATO and the European Union, in its foundations cultivates an authoritarian regime and strives for physical and moral destruction of Archbishop Jovan with the silent inactivity and indifference of the European Union and the United States of America.

Source: http://www.romfea.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10602

section: news

15.01.2012

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America consists of the active Bishops, representatives of all topical Orthodox Churches (namely, the Bishops are of all nationalities: American, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Russian, Greek, Georgian etc.).

This Assembly of Bishops of America, in the announcement published on their web-site, has condemned the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid, and demanded his release.

Their demand has been addressed to the US State Department, Congress and Senate, as well as all governments of the states they originate from, in order to speed the process up.

Following, we are enclosing the mentioned demand:

Upon receiving the information that Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid was arrested on December 12, 2011, while entering the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) from the border with Greece, the Hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America reaffirm the position taken by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) in August 2005, and furthermore restate that the persecution and new imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan by FYROM are an outrage, and ask for his immediate release.

This arrest has a history of several years and began when the schismatic church of FYROM started persecuting the canonical Archbishopric of Ochrid, an autonomous part of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

This imprisonment, as did the previous ones, violates religious freedom in a supposedly free state. That a recognized, canonical Orthodox Christian hierarch can be imprisoned once again under false allegations, and while trying to fulfill his religious responsibilities, is simply absurd.

We join again the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in demanding the release of Archbishop Jovan. We ask the government of FYROM to correct this injustice and to free Archbishop Jovan without delay.  Furthermore, we call upon our governments to intercede and implement appropriate measures to hasten this process.

Source document: http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/releases/archbishop-jovan-release

section: archbishop\announcements

→ Greek version

13.01.2012

The schismatic organization in R. Macedonia, the “Macedonian Orthodox Church” (MOC), is openly acting to influence the judiciary in R. Macedonia, against the rights of His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan. Namely, there is no such convict in R. Macedonia who was sentenced in absence, and was not allowed retrial in his presence, once the conditions for that, as prescribed by the law, were met.

The schismatic MOC is acting in direction that Archbishop Jovan would not be allowed a retrial, although he has been sentenced in his absence, and fulfills all conditions, required by the law, to be allowed a retrial. Archbishop Jovan is already one month in R. Macedonia, in the “Idrizovo” prison, and from there he is requesting to be allowed a retrial, and at the same time the proof has been submitted that he observed and satisfies the required term of one year since he learned about the verdict, in order to request repetition of the court process. And, since all the required conditions to grant a repetition of the court process were fulfilled, the Court of First Instance in Veles decided so, in an urgent proceeding, but through the Public Prosecutor, the schismatic MOC submitted a complaint on that decision. The complaint by the MOC was not in regard to the fact that Archbishop Jovan was granted the right to remain free pending trial, but it was a request not to allow a retrial in his presence, at all. The Appellate Court in Skopje returned the case for a new decision in the court in Veles, and now there is a possibility that the court in Veles will not allow a retrial for Archbishop Jovan in his presence. With that, he would be the first and only example in R. Macedonia, of a person who is not granted the legal right to be tried in his presence.

For this case, for which a repetition of the court process is requested, Archbishop Jovan has already been acquitted twice, when he was granted the right to defend himself in his presence. The third time the court reaches a verdict in his absence, and sentences him. So, as if Archbishop Jovan was deprived of his right to defend himself, and at the end, he was sentenced. Now MOC is requesting something which is utterly against the law, to force Archbishop Jovan to serve the prison-term sentence from a court process in which he was not given the possibility to defend himself in his presence.

Knowing up to which degree human rights, and especially religious freedoms, are being violated in R. Macedonia, and having in mind that all previous court processes against Archbishop Jovan were political, the request from the Public Prosecutor, despite being unlawful, is not at all peculiar. What is peculiar is that it is being initiated and supported by the schismatic MOC. MOC, although is in schism with all Orthodox Churches, is at the same time a religious organization. For any religious organization, but especially for Christians, it is characteristic to stand for the defense of the human and religious rights, and even to be merciful against the ones who violated some law; but, opposite to that, the MOC is doing everything it can to completely violate the already restricted human and religious rights of Archbishop Jovan. When in 2005 Archbishop Jovan was sentenced for inciting national and religious hatred, and was imprisoned, one of the bishops of the MOC, and even an hagiorite – as he calls himself (he was seven years on Mount Athos), requested from the authorities that Archbishop Jovan is sentenced for treason against the state and be sentenced a life imprisonment. Finally, in the last 30 days, during which the Archbishop is in prison, two, and indeed of the oldest, bishops of the MOC made their statements in public, requesting from the state authorities that Archbishop Jovan remains in prison and not be allowed defense in his presence.

Such actions and statements by the bishops of the schismatic MOC are not to be commented, because their shamelessness, and especially their unchristian basis, is easily noticeable. Everybody among the orthodox, and even broader, already recognizes Archbishop Jovan as a contemporary confessor of the faith, but the question being raised is: how does the schismatic MOC with such actions and totally unchristian mentality think that it can enter the unity with the other Churches? It is obvious that it has no sincere intention to be a real Church and step out of the schism, but in order not to be treated as a heretical organization, it wants to leave an impression in public that it is interested in solving the state of schism in which it is dwelling.

However, the Church is a family which can recognize its own.

From the Office of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and Metropolitanate of Skopje.

section: archbishop\announcements

→ Greek version

12.01.2012

Upon a complaint by the Public Prosecution in Veles and under strong political pressure, the Appellate Court in Skopje has dismissed the decision of the Court of First Instance in Veles that granted Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan a repeat of the court process in which he was sentenced to a prison term in absence.

Archbishop Jovan remains in prison upon the request by the schismatic MOC, until a new decision is made by the Court of First Instance in Veles.

From the Office of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and Metropolitanate of Skopje

section: archbishop\announcements

→ Greek version

12.12.2011

Today, on 12th December 2011, in attempt to enter R. Macedonia, on the border-crossing Medzitlija, on the border with Greece, the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje kyr kyr Jovan was arrested and taken to the “Idrizovo” prison, near Skopje. Upon the false accusations by the schismatic organization in R. Macedonia, in 2010 Archbishop Jovan was sentenced a prison term, but because the court process was performed in his absence, he has the legal right to request a repeat of the procedure. Therefore, it is expected that in three to five days he should be released from prison, and granted a new court procedure during which he would defend himself from freedom. Only as a reminder, on 16th November 2010 Archbishop Jovan was arrested on the Bulgarian border, upon a request by the Macedonian bureau of Interpol, in regard to exactly this court sentence, but the Court in Bulgaria released him with a rationale that the court verdict in R. Macedonia was a result of the persecution on religious grounds, which the Archbishop undergoes for nine years already, and not because he was indeed guilty according to the criminal law.

From the office of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and Metropolitanate of Skopje

section: holy synod of bishops\correspondence

Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje

Protocol № 96 from 3rd March 2010

To: The Council of Europe, Strasbourg



Highly esteemed,

At the beginning of this addressing, we send You our greetings.

In continuation, we would like to very briefly inform You about the violation of the basic religious freedoms of the part of the citizens of R. Macedonia. We are acquainted with the fact that our country will be presiding the Council of Europe and we consider that it is necessary to draw attention to the paradoxical situation that an esteemed institution, such as the Council of Europe, will be presided exactly by R. Macedonia, which violates the basic religious freedoms of a part of its own citizens! Namely, in R. Macedonia exists the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric with a recognized autonomous status in the world of Orthodox Christianity, but persecuted by the state in its homeland. Her prelate, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje k.k. Jovan, has served two prison terms because of his religious beliefs, and the court on two terms refuses the registration of the Archbishopric in the register of religious communities. In regard to the imprisonments of Archbishop Jovan and the refusal of registration of the Archbishopric to which, among the other nationalities, the Macedonian citizens of Serbian nationality also belong, the representative of the Serbs in the Government and Member of Parliament, Mr. Ivan Stoiljkovic stated: “it is not being mentioned that the Serbs in Macedonia cannot realize their religious freedom, granted by the Constitution” (Blic, 24th February 2010).

For a more precise insight into the above stated, in continuation we enclose a chronological overview of a part of the events, since the constitution of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric in 2002 until today.

Many international institutions and organizations have also spoken out against this persecution. Following are only a few examples:

US Department of State constantly includes in its “Religious Freedom Report” and “Human Rights Report” information regarding the restrictions of the religious freedoms of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, the existence of religious prisoners, the violation of freedom of movement, the police terror and demolition of a monastery, the prevention of OSCE from obtaining a copy of the decision upon which the demolition was carried out, the police interrogations of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric etc. (http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108458.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90187.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71394.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51567.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35470.htm etc.)

US Mission to the OSCE warned of “Violation of freedom of religion” and “encouraged the authorities to apply the law fairly”, advising “the government should avoid involving in religious disputes”, reminding that “Article Nine of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the Macedonian Constitution as well as Macedonia’s OSCE commitments, and international norms, all guarantee his right to freedom of religion.” (http://osce.usmission.gov/media/pdfs/2004-statements/fyrom_2-5-04.pdf).

Amnesty International declared the Archbishop Jovan “a prisoner of conscience”. (http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR05/001/2006/en/28018728-d44a-11dd-8743-d305bea2b2c7/eur050012006en.html)

The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights constantly reports about the violation of the religious freedoms and human rights of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, among other issues, pointing out that the imprisonment of the Archbishop Jovan is “The most high profile of religious freedom violation” (http://mhc.org.mk/default-mk.asp?ItemID=577B948E52C7B648A9F4398C90B0A71C&arc=1, http://mhc.org.mk/default-mk.asp?ItemID=D269C890ADF91F4D8B26B40C32163802&arc=1 etc.)

The European Commission pointed out that “cases of violations of religious freedom exist” and emphasized that “the new law should provide more liberal procedure for registering religious communities” in its report. (http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/pdf/key_documents/2006/nov/fyrom_sec_1387_en.pdf)

Forum 18 reports that “Official discrimination continues”, “New Religion Law perpetuates discrimination” etc. (http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1335, http://forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1107 etc.)

Highly esteemed,

This is only a part of the persecution that the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric faces in the past eight years.

This information for continuation of the limitations of our rights is at the same time an appeal to all the persons being in position to assist the implementation of the Democratic laws and values regarding the respect of religious freedom for all the citizens in the Republic of Macedonia, without any ethnic or religious prejudice, as one of the basic conditions for integration in the Euro-Atlantic civilization trends.

With respect,

Bishop
† David of Stobi and Administrator of Strumica

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