Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo does not ask for financial help from the Kosovo Government, but to pay the rent for using the premise owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church in Pristina, where Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency is seated, Abbot of Visoki Decani Monastery Father Sava Janjic told Radio Free Europe.

According to Radio Free Europe, Kosovo Government told them they have completed that obligation. The premise used by the Anti-Corruption Agency according to cadastral records belongs to the Serbian Orthodox Church Saint Nikola Temple in Pristina.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, commenting on an appeal sent by Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije warning that division of territory would leave to migration of Serbs from Kosovo and destruction of cultural heritage, said on Wednesday that the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo although it is against ethnic borders, wants “Kosovo state” to pay to it 650.000 euros.

“First, the amount of the money mentioned is not accurate, and second it is unpaid rent for misusing properties of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Pristina by the Anti-Corruption Agency and our Church requested rent to be paid for all the previous years during which the premise was used,” Abbot Sava Janjic said.

Abbot Janjic added that the Kosovo Government agreed to pay around 200.000 euros, but that the rest of the amount was not paid.

“Therefore, it is in no way some sort of help from the Kosovo Government, in fact it is about rent for usurpation of the Serbian Orthodox Church premise, former Church school, where now the Anti-Corruption Agency works,” Abbot Janjic explained, adding the acceptance to pay one sum of the accumulated amount was made thanking to pledging of several embassies, in particular USA Embassy, Danas daily reported.