Bishop Theodosius – Kosovo Serbs fear new attacks from Albanians

February 2, 2017 – In the event of new attacks, the Kosovo police will not be able to assure adequate protection for the Orthodox Christian sites in Kosovo and Metohija. The region is experiencing a “huge potential” for new unrest from the local Albanian population, stated the bishop of the Razka-Metojiha diocese Theodosius (Sibalic).

In March 2004, Kosovo Albanians have arranged massive pogroms, which led to a massive exodus of Serbs from the country as well as the destruction of the many monuments of their history and culture.

“The current situation is better for us than before. There aren’t as many attacks and acts of violence, and one can freely move. Nevertheless, the general atmosphere remains tense, especially currently, and there is a potential for new unrest”, said bishop Theodosius.

According to him, the relationship between Albanians and Serbs “are not the same in the different parts of Kosovo and Metohija”: “there is some general tolerance, for example in Prizren, but in Diakovica, Decani, Klin – the situation is a lot more serious”.
“We would like to see more reassuring examples, but in reality, it is rare to hear something positive about our Church or about Serbs in general. Local newspapers regularly publish material that heightens ethnic strife”, declared the member of the diocese.

The Kosovo police of mixed ethnic origin is currently handling the safety of Serbian churches and monasteries in majority-Albanian settlements. Only the monastery of Vysoki Decani is protected by the international peacekeeping force of KFOR, due to the “grave safety context in the municipality of Decani”, says the Bishop. “Up until now, we didn’t have serious problems with the Kosovo police, even though we believe that in the event of serious unrest, they will not be able to assure the safety of our holy sites”.

He clarified that attacks on Orthodox churches has in general decreased in Kosovo, with the notable exception of the Church of Christ the Savior in Pristina, where “in the last few years, different provocations and acts of vandalism continue on a regular basis”. The diocese of Razka-Prizren has 160 churches and 14 monasteries.

The relations between Serbia and the auto-proclaimed authorities of Kosovo have experienced tensions on January 14, when Kosovo Albanians refused to let through a train from Belgrade heading to Kosovo Mitrovica, threatening to use their Special Forces. President Tomislav Nikolic declared, that he will “personally protect Serbs, if someone attacks them in Kosovo”. He justified his readiness to use armed forces that he is constitutionally obliged to protect his residents, despite not seeking to involve Serbia in any conflicts.

Kosovo-Albanian authorities have declared independence on February 17, 2009 in Pristina in a unilateral manner from Serbia. The self-proclaimed republic is not recognized by Serbia, Syria, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Spain and numerous other states.
The Bishop expressed particular gratitude to the people of Russia.

“We would like to express a special gratitude to the Russian people for their spiritual, moral and material support. The awareness that Russia shows towards the situation of Kosovo and Metohija is very important for us, and we hope that Russia will do everything possible to assure a life of dignity for the remaining Kosovo Serbs. We pray to God for the restoration of all Orthodox churches, and that our banished people return”.

When describing the scale of Russia’s help, he stated that Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church were providing assistance through the Sreten monastery in Moscow in the restoration of the Prizren seminary, and that “Russia disbursed $2,5 million dollars for the restoration of destroyed Orthodox churches after the 2004 riots”.

“The brotherly Orthodox solidarity, given to us by the Moscow Patriarchate, means a lot to us, as well as the readiness of Russia to protect the remaining Kosovo Serbs and our holy sites in Kosovo and Metohija”.

When asked to provide a possible projection of the future destiny of Orthodoxy in Kosovo and Metohija, the bishop Theodosius noted, that Serbs are “going through Golgopha over a course of decennials”, but the people are “always finding the strength for a spiritual renewal. We hope that something similar will continue this time as well, and that Serbs will never completely leave Kosovo, because the cultural center of our spirituality and history is here”.

Sources

http://www.pravoslavie.ru/100716.html

https://ria.ru/religion/20170202/1487033804.html