Under the new law, religious communities can only retain ownership of their property is if they can produce clear evidence that it belongs to them. This point has triggered accusations from the Serbian Orthodox Church that the government plans to dispute many of its holdings.

The government denies having any plan to strip any faith denomination of its property.

On Saturday, at the council, held in front of the main Orthodox church in Niksic, Bishop Joanikije read out a statement claiming the bill was a “Law against Orthodoxy in Montenegro” that will “legalise the discrimination” of church positions in the country.

It also contained a list of four demands, which are for the unconditional legislative or contractual recognition “of the existence of centuries long historical continuty” of church positions in Montenegro, a contract with the Government of Montenegro to regulate questions of common interest equaly, a bill on restitution and legal resolution and respect of the autonomy of churches and religious communities in the country.

Ahead of the council, President Milo Djukanovic accused the Serbian Orthodox Church, SPC, the largest denomination in the country, of trying to “maintain a religious monopoly” and called for the “renewal” of the independent Montenegrin Orthodox Church that was closed down after 1918, when Montenegro was folded into Serbia.

“We have a lot more on this side, who have given everything in our lives so far to correct historical injustice and restore the Montenegrin state,” Djukanovic said on Thursday.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has added his voice to the chorus of protesters, criticizing the law. “It is not easy for me to talk about things that are happening in another country, but since it is in the interest of our people, I am not at all pleased because it concerns the vital interests of our people and the SPC,” Vucic told journalists on Friday.

According to the latest 2011 census, around 71 per cent of Montenegro’s population are members of the Orthodox Church. Ethnic Serbs make up about 29 per cent of population. Muslims and Catholics are the next largest religious communities.

Read the council’s full statement in BHS and in English.