In a sharply worded statement issued on August 2, 2025, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia expressed “full and unambiguous support” for President Milorad Dodik of Republika Srpska, following the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s decision to uphold his prison sentence and ban from political activity.
Calling the decision “unlawful and undemocratic,” Patriarch Porfirije condemned the ruling as a deliberate attack on democratic values and the Serbian community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “The verdict was intended to nullify the democratically expressed will of the Serbian people, delegitimize the existence of Republika Srpska, and jeopardize the survival of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he emphasized.
Expressing deep concern over the wider implications, the Patriarch warned that the current unrest in Serbian-populated areas threatens the peace and future of the region. “We have shared this land for centuries with peoples of the same origin and language,” he said, urging religious leaders in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and beyond “to do everything in our power to preserve peace and ensure a peaceful future for our children.”
He also addressed political actors, stating that they “must not allow our peoples to become victims in the pursuit of interests driven by those who orchestrate these processes from afar.”
Patriarch Porfirije concluded by calling on Orthodox Serbs to unite in prayer, stressing that spiritual solidarity is essential: “I pray and call upon all Orthodox Serbs to join in prayer to the Lord for the attainment of at least a minimum of mutual understanding — for the sake of our shared good, peace, and the future of our people.”
Source: spc.sr
