Metropolitan Agatangel: VMRO Will Rule as Long as Tito, the Opposition Has No Chance, and Journalists Attack the Church for Money

As a guest on Alfa TV, Metropolitan Agatangel of Povardarie did something no canon asks for: he prophesied one party a reign as long as Josip Broz Tito's. "I told them: as long as the president of Yugoslavia ruled, that's how long VMRO will rule now. You have no chance of coming to power any more. And God grant it stays that way," he said.

Then came the confession of faith in the cabinet. "Macedonia is now in safe hands. I have complete confidence in the current government," Agatangel said, before naming Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, minister Panče Toškovski, minister Timčo Mucunski, President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski.

It's a little ironic: a church dignitary takes as his measure of desirable government the longevity of the leader of a communist, atheist state who ruled for 35 years without free elections. Wishing a party would rule "as long as Tito" is no compliment to the party. It's a wish for the end of any change of power. Unless the metropolitan meant something else, but then he ought to say what.

The second part was about critics. Professor Ljubomir Frčkoski and unnamed journalists were accused of humiliating Macedonia and attacking the Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric, and asked why, the metropolitan replied that the reason is financial interest. No names of journalists, no evidence. A specialist religion portal immediately demanded that he give the names and called on journalists' associations to respond.

The Constitution is clear: Article 19 says religious communities are separate from the state. That separation protects the state from the clergy and the church from the parties. When a metropolitan publicly votes confidence in ministers, does a believer who votes for the opposition still see him as their bishop?

Agatangel has a right to an opinion, like any citizen. Only the robes he appears on television in aren't civilian. And an accusation that someone attacks the Church for money, without a name and without evidence, is serious from anyone, and doubly so from someone in that position. Names are what we need to hear now.