GRANDSON OF DUKE ĐURIŠIĆ: My grandfather escaped from German camps twice, how could he have been a Nazi collaborator? I won’t come to Montenegro as long as the communists are in power… (VIDEO)

The erection of a monument to the Chetnik Duke and WWII commander, Pavle Đurišić, has caused a great stir in the Montenegrin public, as well as the entire region. After it was initially placed in front of the Church of St. Paraskeva in the village of Gornje Zaostro, in the municipality of Berane, where Metropolitan Metodije of Budimlje-Nikšić served a liturgy today, the monument was moved to the churchyard after police intervention.

On that occasion, the Metropolitan told the Montenegrin authorities to “come and tear down the church now.”

Serbian Times contacted Pavle (Paul) Đurišić, the grandson of Duke Đurišić, who was named after his ancestor and now lives in Phoenix, Arizona. The entire Đurišić family, led by Paul’s father, was forced to emigrate to America after World War II due to persecution by the communist authorities in Yugoslavia.

When asked to comment on the Montenegrin government’s decision to remove the monument to his grandfather, whom they accuse of collaborating with the Nazis and committing war crimes against Muslims, Paul Đurišić told Serbian Times:

“The only thing I will say about that is that he was captured twice and escaped from German prison camps twice. Which means it is hard to believe he was a collaborator. I don’t like to respond to communist propaganda pamphlets, but that is a historical fact that I would like those who accuse him to explain to me. How can he simultaneously be a Nazi collaborator and be held captive in their camps?“

He points out that he and his family have mixed feelings about everything that has been happening recently:

-I am very proud and happy for the recognition given to him by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the citizens, but I am also sad that the communists still control the country there and continue to spread anti-Chetnik propaganda.

“WE WILL MOVE IT TO THE CHURCH, SO LET THEM TEAR IT DOWN”: Police came to remove the monument to Pavle Djurisic, Metropolitan Metodije and the locals will not give it up!

When asked if he and his family would visit Montenegro and his grandfather’s monument anytime soon, Đurišić replied:

-No, I don’t want to go there. I was there in 2003 when the communists first tried to destroy the memory of my grandfather and his comrades. I don’t want to go to Montenegro as long as the communists are in power there and continue to persecute me and my family, he concluded.

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Incidentally, a large number of villagers from Zaostro, residents of surrounding villages, and people who came from all over Montenegro gathered for today’s liturgy.

The monument to Pavle Đurišić was first covered with blue nylon today, but the gathered citizens did not allow the police to remove it.

PROUD AND DISAPPOINTED: Pavle Đurišić was named after his grandfather

The police announced that they had eventually reached an agreement with the crowd that the monument would be removed by the locals themselves after the liturgy and its consecration were completed.

And so it was. The monument was moved into the church.

“Eternal memory to Duke Pavle and all soldiers, warriors, officers, non-commissioned officers, and fighters of the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland,” Metropolitan Metodije said during the liturgy.