Today in Belgrade, in the premises of the Media Center, it was organized a promotion of the book CONFESSION HOW WE BETRAYED GOD, which was published by the NGO Montenegro International. Bojan Jovanović, author of the book and lawyer Aleksandar Olenik spoke at the promotion.
The famous Belgrade lawyer and civil activist Aleksandar Olenik said at today’s promotion that the existence of an organized pedophile network in the Serbian Orthodox Church is a public secret, and that Bishops Pahomije and Kacavenda are known in it. He asked why the Serbian Orthodox Church did not give them up, but protected them while it tried to silence the victims of pedophilia in all possible ways.
– The synergy between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the state has gone so far that the state listens to the church more than it regulates the work of the church by laws. Victims of pedophilia are betrayed by everyone, especially by the state and it is an immeasurable evil. That silence of the state bothers the victims the most. The protection of criminals by the state and the denial of support to victims is an immeasurable evil that we as a society will continue to pay for in the future. Most pedophiles in the Serbian Orthodox Church are untouchable, have power and continue with criminal activities, Olenik said. He reminded that Jovanović sent the last letter to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on February 7 2020, “but Vučić is silent, and the silence is support”.
Jovanovic: Pedophiles from the Serbian Orthodox Church will soon be investigated
– The Serbian Orthodox Church intimidates and kills victims of pedophilia, and there is always the help of the state in that, said Bojan Jovanović, a former deacon of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
He pointed out at today’s promotion of his book that the Serbian Orthodox Church does not ask for forgiveness for pedophilia, nor condemns pedophiles from its ranks. It is not an organization that demands rights for every victim – Serb, Croat, Bosniak, thus it brings itself into negation.
– I addressed all state bodies and everyone told me to contact politicians first. I addressed the then former President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, and they allegedly conducted an investigation, but did nothing. In 2012, I gave certain evidence to Aleksandar Vučić, but he did not move a finger to do anything – said Jovanović.
He pointed out that the late Patriarch Pavle only received him for an interview after the eighth attempt for a meeting, but Jovanović was soon expelled from the office when he started talking to the Patriarch about the evidence of pedophilia in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
– We addressed Patriarch Irinej many times, and we only received the answer once that the story was over for the Serbian Orthodox Church. I will not address Patriarch Porfirije, because I do not want to be humiliated anymore. But I expect him to resign because those people who elected him to that position will soon be the subject of investigative bodies – Jovanović emphasized.
As he said, no one in Serbia wanted to publish his book or write a preface and afterword, so he asked for help outside of Serbia.
At today’s promotion of the book, Bojan Jovanović announced that a non-governmental organization will be established soon, which will deal with all cases of pedophilia in the Serbian Orthodox Church and in Serbia.
– We have received the support of all victims, and we will enable all Orthodox denominations to express their opinion on pedophilia, because the Serbian Orthodox Church is not the only Orthodox denomination in Serbia. A religious dictatorship is now being implemented in Serbia, Jovanovic said.
