Metropolitan Ioaneki called the Serbian students patriots and said that they had earned the right to truth and love for their homeland. He stated this in an interview with RTV Podgorica, also touching on the issues of church unity and the preservation of national cultural heritage. The Metropolitan supported the students Ioannici expressed his satisfaction that the events after the elections in Serbia ended peacefully. According to him, the students and the citizens who supported them showed strength and patriotism.
The Metropolitan noted that he is not a partner in Aleksandar Vučić's political move, but he positively evaluated his decision to admit defeat after the first results and congratulate the winners. This, according to Ioannikis, helped to avoid violence.
He rejected accusations that the students were unfaithful or acting under external control. In his estimation, they won thanks to patience, intelligence, truth and love for their homeland. Ioannici spoke about attempts to separate the metropolis from Belgrade The metropolitan said that the former president of Montenegro, Milo Djokanovic, suggested to the clergy of the Montenegrin-Litoral metropolis to secede from Belgrade during the debate on the religious freedom law. According to Ioannicus, he witnessed such a proposal, but the clergy did not consider the possibility of separation.
He also rejected accusations of separatism against himself and the late Metropolitan Amphiluchios. Referring to the claims that the religious processions in Montenegro were organized by Aleksandar Vučić, Ioanić emphasized that it is an independent spiritual and national movement for the protection of temples, history and traditions.
"If anyone led our religious processions, it could only be the Lord Jesus Messiah, the Holy Grandfather, Saint Basil of Ostrog and Saint Peter of Cetinje, but not Aleksandar Vucic," he said.