The Diocese appeals on peace and respect of the rule of law after most recent series of security incidents in Kosovo and Metohija.

Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška-Prizren strongly condemns the latest series of incidents which indicate that there is a serious deterioration of the security situation in which Serbs with their Orthodox Church live in Kosovo and Metohija.

Three days ago dozens of Kosovo Albanians attacked a group of Serb pilgrims while they were visiting the ruins of the Holy Trinity church in the village of Petrič near Klina and performing the Pentecost procession around the site. In a serious incident the attackers despite the massive police presence attacked the pilgrims by stones and injured three Serbs.

Yesterday in Staro Gracko village nr. Lipljan a Serb woman and her 6 months old baby were injured in an incident provoked by a Kosovo Albanian.

Also a group of local Albanians near Žač, Klina Municipality, intercepted the vehicle of the local Serbian Orthodox priest Fr. Stevan Marković who was returning with his family from the service at Peć Patriarchate Monastery.

They first blocked the road and then when a larger group gathered began hitting the car and broke the windshield. Both 5 year old twins of the priest and his wife suffered a shock in an incident especially when one of the local attackers threatened to bring the weapons. The attackers belong to a Kelmendi clan which took part in attacks on local Serbs in this area before.

Fr. Stevan had a meeting with the British Ambassador Ruairi O'Connel after the incident and told him what had just happened and informed him about the incident at the Petrič church where he was attacked with his parishioners.

Full statement is available here: http://www.eparhija-prizren.com/en/statements/diocese-appeals-peace-and-respect-rule-law-after-most-recent-series-security-incidents-ko