A proposed religion law that appears to favor some religions over others has drawn protests from members of Serbia’s religious community. Baptists, Pentecostals, and Seventh-day Adventists are among the groups that have called the draft law unconstitutional and discriminatory, saying it singles out some faiths for special treatment.

The preamble of the draft law recognizes the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, Lutherans, Reformed Churches, and Islamic and Jewish groups, as having a “historical and traditional” position in Serbian society. 

These groups will also participate in a religious education program that will soon be introduced into state-run schools, the government recently announced. 

The Adventist Church is not one of the groups recognized as “historical and traditional” in the preamble, confirms Radisa Antic, president of the Adventist Church in the region.  He says that, as yet, church leaders have been unsuccessful in initiating talks with Serbia’s minister of religion, Vojisalv Milovanovic.

For the past six years, the position of religious organizations in Serbia has been uncertain. Following the 1993 repeal of communist laws regulating religion, religious groups gained legal status by registering as “citizen’s associations.”  A 1995 Supreme Court ruling closed this option and religious groups have, since then, been unable to register as legal entities. This new legislation is the government’s first post-communist attempt to draft a law regulating religious groups.

“We find ourselves in a very delicate situation since we will have to apply for new registration,” says Antic.

Government officials have defended the legislation, saying that it is still in draft form and that the final version will reflect true democratic ideals.