Office for Kosovo and Metohija
Government of the Republic of Serbia

Office for Kosovo and Metohija contemns attack on Church of Assumption of Mother of God in Orahovac

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija strongly condemns yesterday’s attack on the Church of the Assumption of Mother of God in Orahovac, and demands that the perpetrators be urgently found and brought to justice.

This attack on a Serbian Orthodox church, perpetrated on the day of an important religious holiday, the Intercession (Protection) of the Mother of God, and while children were playing in the port of the church, reaffirms that the atmosphere of fear and lawlessness is still generated in Kosovo and Metohija, an atmosphere in which there is no safety for Serbs, nor Serbian shrines.

This attack is not random or unplanned, as corroborated by the fact that Albanian extremist pelted stones at the parish house of the church, home of the local parish priest and his family, on October 14, the day of the Intercession of the Mother of God.

We recall that it was only yesterday that we heard assurances from Priština that the so-called Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO will serve to promote the position of Serbian heritage in Kosovo and Metohija. Such claims seem hypocritical and cynical in light of this attack.

We ask Priština, and also the international community, particularly those countries supporting Kosovo’s membership in the United Nations Organization for Education, Culture and Science, how many more Serbian shrines must be desecrated, burnt and destroyed before they realize that those who destroyed hundreds of Serbian churches cannot be the ones looking after our churches and monasteries in the future?

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija calls on all relevant authorities in Priština and the administration of the international community in Kosovo and Metohija to publicly condemn yesterday’s attack on the church in Orahovac, and to urgently bring to justice the four Albanians who threw the stones.

The Government of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija will continue to invest maximum efforts to ensure safety for the Serbian people in the province, and provide protection all necessary care to our cultural heritage.