Trolls of the Month: Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church Joanikije, and Metropolitan Metodije of the Eparchy of Budimlja-Nikšić in Montenegro
July 3, 2025
The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkan region.
On May 4th, the Metropolitan of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro, Joanikije made statements, glorifying a Chetnik commander responsible for numerous massacres of Muslims in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Joanikije referred to Pavle Đurišić as a “great hero”.
Furthermore, the Metropolitan Metodije of the Eparchy of Budimlja-Nikšić continued the same revisionist narrative. Joanikije’s response triggered a reaction from numerous human rights groups and civil society across the region. Furthermore, no media in BiH, aside from Radio Free Europe, reported on the incident with context, whilst the rest of them merely repeated the reactions from Montenegro.
Following this incident, on June 7th, during a gathering at the Podmalinsko Monastery near Šavnik, Metodije glorified both Pavle Đurišić and Dragoljub Mihailović as “heroes” and “the first guerrilla fighters against fascism,” ignoring their documented crimes against civilians and minorities, including Muslims and partisans during World War II. Furthermore, he claimed that since the end of WWII, a “Titoist–Ustaša coalition” has ruled and committed genocide against the Serbian people—a historically false and inflammatory statement that portrays Tito (leader of the anti-fascist communist partisans) as allied with the Nazi-collaborating Ustaše. These statements constitute historical revisionism and political positioning cloaked in religious discourse, fueling identity-based tensions and distorting historical facts.
In response to these inflammatory remarks by both religious figures, on June 12, the Higher State Prosecutor’s Office in Bijelo Polje opened a case to investigate Metodije’s statements. The remarks were strongly criticised by civil society and the EU. Alongside this, several Montenegrin NGOs also filed a criminal complaint against Joanikije for inciting hatred through the glorification of the Chetnik movement. However, on June 18 (interestingly, the International Day for Countering Hate Speech), it was reported that the Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the complaint against Joanikije, raising deep concern among NGOs about the spread of hate speech and institutional inaction.
On the same day, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Montenegro, explicitly condemning the glorification of war criminals and public denial of international verdicts.
Religious figures such as Joanikije and Metodije, have a large influence over public opinion and discourse.
Harmful statements that glorify war criminals and distort historical facts not only mislead the public but also deepen societal divisions and foster animosity. Leaders who hold positions of power should use their platform to spread good influence and truth to society rather than spreading hate, false information and glorifying acts of violence and far-right ideology.
In moments like these, individuals such as Jaonikije and Metodije should face the appropriate consequences for their actions and make public apologies for their statements. Inaction can result in the normalisation of such sentiments, which only impact negatively on society as a whole.