Office for Kosovo and Metohija
Government of the Republic of Serbia

Đurić: Initiate talks on SOC status and property

Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Đurić said today talks on the issue of status and property of the Serbian Orthodox Church, as well as on the protection of Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija, should be initiated forthwith within the framework of the continuation of the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština.

At the press conference on the Brussels dialogue, Đurić said that it has been months now that we have witnessed the Provisional Institutions' watering down the legal framework which provides protection for the monasteries and churches in Kosovo and Metohija. He underlined that the PISG draft law on cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija makes provisions for all the Serbian churches and monasteries to be treated as the property of the so-called Republic of Kosovo.

"Such ideas can hardly contribute to genuine reconciliation and normalization of relations," Đurić stated.

Đurić stressed the need to initiate talks on the protection of Serbian cultural and religious heritage in the province, adding that Serbia has advised the highest EU representatives and representatives of the most influential countries of such intentions and has received broad support.

Đurić said that Belgrade also wants to talk about the property owned by Serbia and its status, the establishment of airway traffic, including regulation of the status of the airport in Priština.

"We want to remove all obstacles to the movement of people and goods as soon as possible," Đurić said.

He said that the closure of four important agreements, which took place in Brussels on 25 August, rounded up the political part of the arrangements concerning the First Agreement. What remains is to agree on the Statute of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, for which clear framework has been specified.

Asked about the time of the visit of the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić to Kosovo and Metohija, Đurić said that the visit would take place soon. No exact date has yet been specified, but it should happen in early October.

Đurić said that the Serbian PM Vučić would visit several areas and present the achievements made over the last year, year and a half.