The State Prosecutor’s Office in Ljubljana, Slovenia, filed charges on January 12 against the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Porfirije Perić, over allegations of workplace abuse against a priest.
According to the official document from the Ljubljana District Prosecutor’s Office, the charges were submitted to the Ljubljana Municipal Court against two parties: Porfirije Perić, who at the time was the Metropolitan of the Zagreb‑Ljubljana Metropolis of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Serbian Orthodox Church – Ljubljana Parish as a legal entity.
The allegations stem from claims by priest Zhelko Lubarda, who stated that he was subjected to continuous mistreatment and psychological pressure, as reported by nova.rs.
Lubarda asserts that he was systematically targeted at work for refusing to provide false testimony aimed at concealing alleged financial abuses in the church’s funds.
He further claims that the pressure and treatment caused him serious health problems and resulted in the loss of income and his home.
The prosecutor’s document references Articles 196 and 197 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Slovenia, which classify workplace abuse as a criminal offense.
The case is currently at the stage where the court will review the legality of the indictment before setting a date for the trial to begin.
