The mayor of Pristina Špend Ahmeti is calling the uncompleted Serbian Orthodox church in downtown Priština "Milošević church" although its construction was initially approved by prof Hamdi Vraniqi, an executive president of the Priština Municipality in 1990 (not by a Serb official). Vraniqi happens to be the father of the Mayor's spokesperson who is an activist of the ultra/nationalist Vetvendosje movement. Our church was therefore constructed according to all laws of that time as other buildings, including the current building of the Kosovo Government. The church is therefore equally legal as all other hundreds or thousands of constructions built at that time. The Serbian Orthodox Church ownership over the 4.2 hectares of land in the center of Pristina was approved by two UN Heads of Administration in Kosovo, Hari Holkeri in 2003 and Farid Zarif in 2012 (see the documents) and the land is still registered in the Kosovo Land register as the Church property (see the extract). The property rights cannot be selectively recognized or denied. By what law and what justice Mayor Ahmeti denies to our Church the right over this property and prevents cleaning of the church and its use as a place of worship? If he dislikes religious sites it is his choice but not his right as a public official. Obstructing our freedom of worship is a direct violation of law and an example of blatant lawlessness in Kosovo. We expect Kosovo Government and International representatives to protect our property rights and freedom. The Pristina church for us Serbs it is a symbol of the post-war systematic ethnic cleansing of Kosovo as the only sign of Serb presence that extremists want to eliminate in the center of Pristina. If dozens of mosques in Kosovo are being constructed now by money from Saudi Arabia, Turkey or other countries (some of them even with money from radical organizations as the US press has recently written) why a Serbian Orthodox Church must be eliminated. Has not enough churches been demolished in Kosovo in the last years of "peace" ? – these are the key points in Father Sava's latest adressing following Špend Ahmeti’s comments on the Christ the Savior church in the center of Pristina and the recent text of the Priština based journalist, Garentina Kraja – "A symbol of repression which should remain just that". Father Sava also published a few other documents – the original decision signed by Hamdi Vranici, letters of UN Administrators, an extract from the land register, emphasising that the "Municipality of Pristina never asked for the documents nor made an attempt to communicate to the rightful owner of this property – the Church". Read the full text below.
These days we are witnessing continuation of a hysterical media campaign against still uncompleted Serbian Orthodox church in downtown Priština (Kosovo). Several days ago the Priština mayor Shpend Ahmeti sent inspectors to stop the cleaning of the vandalized church which was used as a public toilette and banned access to the church for our priests. The mayor admitted in a TV interview that he had no judicial order or legal right to do that although the property is legally registered as that of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The reason for his action was the attempt of Bishop Teodosije and his clergy to clean the church, protect the door from breaking in and give dignity to the site so many times vandalized in the center of the Kosovo major city. In 1999 K/Albanian extremists placed an explosive in the church but the church survived with its gilded cross that is a thorn in the eye for those who want to turn Kosovo into a black hole of Europe.
The mayor is calling the church "Milošević church" although its construction was initially approved by prof Hamdi Vraniqi, an executive president of the Priština Municipality in 1990 (not by a Serb official). Vraniqi happens to be the father of the Mayor's spokesperson who is an activist of the ultra/nationalist Vetvendosje movement. This movement to which the Mayor belongs himself is publicly advocating Greater Albania in which there will be no place for non-Albanians, especially not for Serbs. Our church was therefore constructed according to all laws of that time as other buildings, including the current building of the Kosovo Government. The church is therefore equally legal as all other hundreds or thousands of constructions built at that time. The property rights cannot be selectively recognized or denied. If the church is a symbol of a hated regime for many Albanians (although there is no connection at all), for us Serbs it is a symbol of the post-war systematic ethnic cleansing of Kosovo as the only sign of Serb presence that extremists want to eliminate in the center of Pristina. During the 90ies the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo was a vocal opponent of the Milosevic regime but also strongly against terrorist actions against civilians by the so called Kosovo Liberation Army. Our position was widely known in the international community and the last "benefactor" of our church would be the one whom we openly opposed.
Some claim that the church has no place near the University where Kosovo Albanian students were discriminated during the 90ies. But it was not the Church who did injustice to them. By the way all Serbian professors and students were expelled from the University of Pristina in 1999 and now study and teach in exile, in Mitrovica. The logic of those who spread hatred against this church is similar to some YU nationalists who advocated destroying old mosques because they reminded them of 5 centuries of Ottoman Muslim rule when they were built. Is there logic in such perverted arguments?
The Serbian Orthodox Church ownership over the 4.2 hectares of land in the center of Pristina was approved by two UN Heads of Administration in Kosovo, Hari Holkeri in 2003 and Farid Zarif in 2012 (see the documents) and the land is still registered in the Kosovo Land register as the Church property (see the extract). By what law and what justice Mayor Ahmeti denies to our Church the right over this property and prevents cleaning of the church and its use as a place of worship. If he dislikes religious sites it is his choice but not his right as a public official. Religious freedom is a fundamental right and not a matter for discussion, unless the tribal mentality is stronger than institutional in Kosovo.
The Mayor suggests the church has to be turned into a gallery and more radical members of his party vow to demolish it as 150 Serbian churches have been demolished by Kosovo Albanian extremists in the last 17 years. Sadly, Kosovo Albanians seem to be in power to do what they want with this church. But that would be another blow to the image of Kosovo already tainted by growing Islamic radicalism, corruption and institutional chaos. If dozens of mosques in Kosovo are being constructed now by money from Saudi Arabia, Turkey or other countries (some of them even with money from radical organizations as the US press has recently written) why a Serbian Orthodox Church must be eliminated. Has not enough churches been demolished in Kosovo in the last years of "peace".
For our Church this is a place of worship not a political site, this is our property recognized in Kosovo Land register. Obstructing our freedom of worship is a direct violation of law and an example of blatant lawlessness in Kosovo. We expect Kosovo Government and International representatives to protect our property rights and freedom. We have asked police protection several times but the Ministry of Interior never responded to our Bishop's written requests. The silence of police that practically tolerates the vandalism of this church for years is a an open act of complicity.
Our Orthodox cemetery chapel in Pristina is also being used as a public toilette and a garbage dump. We can see similar disturbing scenes all over Kosovo. All this makes a sad picture of the Kosovo major city and even more deplorable picture of the current lawlessness tolerated throughout the Province. The last but not least, in Kosovo capital there are now only 12 out of 40.000 Serb residents after 17 years of continual pressures and discrimination. Many cannot get their property back and can't even imagine coming back to the place of their birth. This fact clearly says how free and welcome Serbs feel.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
