What took place in front of Our Lady of Ljevis on Saturday? Did a couple from Podgorica marry and briefly display an old Montenegrin flag to take a photograph with it – while wearing a Montenegrin costume as per their customs, or did Serbs come to Prizren to harass and provoke Albanians, shouting „Kosovo is the heart of Serbia“ in front of the church, as some Kosovo media reported on Saturday? On the other hand, there is no doubt that on Sunday, a group of Albanians shouted „Kosovo is the heart of Albania“ in front of the same church. The Pristina media reported that this arrived as a response to the „Serbian provocation“.
„In connection with the event you mention, consultations are underway with the competent prosecutor and there are no elements of a criminal act,“ the Kosovo police said in a written answer for KoSSev following multiple inquiries the portal sent over the last couple of days on what exactly happened on Saturday in front of Our Lady of Ljevis church in Prizren.
„The police do not deal with comments or statements that do not relate to police activities“ – the Kosovo Police added in their reply to KoSSev.
Several Kosovo media reported on Saturday that a group of Serbs while celebrating in front of the church, displayed a Serbian flag, and shouted „Kosovo is the heart of Serbia.“ The same media outlets also published a photo showing an old Montenegrin flag and a group of young people posing in front of the church – one of whom was wearing a Montenegrin costume. Along with these reports, the media also shared the reaction of the Council for Protecting Human Rights and Freedoms, which alerted that „celebrations and nationalist songs disturb the citizens of Prizren.“
The next day, a group of „Arpagjik“ fans from Prizren chanted „Kosovo is the heart of Albania“ in front of the same church and posted a video on social networks with a message that they were reacting to Saturday’s „provocation.“ The video also revealed that several Orthodox believers were praying in the church during the chanting.
KoSSev, however, obtained several testimonies from the church community of Prizren, according to whom a Montenegrin couple from Podgorica got married on Saturday, an old Montenegrin flag was briefly displayed for the newlyweds to take a photo with it – for which they received the permission of the police officer guarding the church, no political slogans were shouted, and the groom wore a traditional Montenegrin costume.
According to KoSSev’s sources, the photo published by the Pristina media shows the groom in traditional Montenegrin dress greeting the Kosovo police officer guarding the church after the wedding – which the abbot of Visoki Decani, Sava Janjic also confirmed via his Twitter page.
Also, KoSSev’s sources pointed out that the policemen in Prizren behaved properly the entire time, such as the police officer in the field when asked by the newlyweds to take a photo with the flag on display, as did the commander „who is aware of what happened“ and who allegedly wrote and forwarded a report to Pristina. According to their testimony on Sunday, the public prosecutor was also informed about the „false reporting and testimony, as well as the spread of religious and ethnic intolerance.“
The Prizren police confirmed for KoSSev on Monday that they informed the chief spokesman in Pristina, Baki Kelani about the events in front of Our Lady of Ljevis, without revealing any further details. They also urged us to seek additional information in Pristina.
After several attempts and short conversations, in today’s written answer for KoSSev, the Kosovo Police Information Office said that it has not identified, i.e. that there are no elements of a crime. They also emphasized that they do not deal with comments or statements that are not related to police activities.
The KP recalled that they are an institution that enforces the law, according to the valid Kosovo laws, and that they indiscriminately provide their services to all citizens.
What actually happened in front of the church on Saturday? It still hasn’t been reported to the media by the police.
In the meantime, Saturday news on the alleged harassment and provocation of Serbs who reportedly shouted „Kosovo is the heart of Serbia“ in Prizren can no longer be found on some Pristina media outlets.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
