The Jerusalem Post website reports today (September 18, 2011) that Montenegro's Prime Minister Igor Luksic yesterday told Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger that his country would recognize Judaism as a state religion.
During a meeting held in Podgorica -- the capital of Montenegro -- Luksic said the Jewish faith will receive the same legal status as Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, and Islam.
There is only a handful of Jews living in Montenegro -- a former state of Yugoslavia before it was broken up in 1991 -- but state officials hope elevating the religion's status will encourage interest and investment from Jews around the world in Montenegro.
Yasha Alfandri -- President of the Montenegro Jewish Community -- said: "This is truly an important and exciting step taken by the leaders of Montenegro and will certainly provide a boost for the development of our community and raises Jewish pride in our wonderful country."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment