Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Djuric commented the public posts of the Abbot of Visoki Decani Sava Janjic on social media and said that he does not expect today “a repentance and apology to our people in KiM from those who in someone else’s interest publicly accused their own state of planning an agreed crime against its people, and those who in a planned manner created fear and spread lies at a time that is politically and security-wise sensitive for our side,” Radio Kosovska Mitrovica reported.

“I do not expect, because those who, due to their wounded egos, money or someone else’s political interests and orders, are silent over someone else’s violence, and to their own state they send in advance the Lazar’s curse - they have no shame whatsoever,” Djuric added.

Meanwhile, Abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery, Father Sava Janjic wrote on social networks he avoids responding to personal and ill-intentioned attacks but considers important to state the following:

“I am truly sorry Mr. Djuric was hurt over the fact that we expressed concern on the division that would leave the vast part of our people outside of Serbian borders and exposed to the new persecutions. This concern was first publicly raised by the Holly Archbishops Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in May this year and is shared by the high number of our faithful people who contact us and show an active solidarity at Molebans for our people in Kosovo and Metohija (…),” Abbot Janjic said.

“I do not want to respond to unfounded and inappropriate attacks, reminding me of a similar rhetoric from earlier dark times, something I thought belonged to the past,” Janjic added.

He recalled that Kosovo issue is not a matter of politics, but of survival of the people and the Church in peace and dignity, and therefore we have a legitimate right to express concern over discouraging statements by some of the most responsible people, that cause deep disappointment.