Eparchy of Raska-Prizren condemned inscription of graffiti with nationalistic content in Zupa valley and requested those responsible be sanctioned, Radio kontakt plus reports.

“Graffiti of nationalistic content have been inscribed on several places in Sirinicka Zupa where the Serb population makes a majority, causing disturbance among our people. Eparchy of Raska-Prizren condemns these provocations and appeals that the perpetrators are found and brought before the justice,” the Eparchy wrote on its official Twitter account.

The Eparchy of Raska-Prizren condemned “the act of vandalism“ – the stoning of a bus from Kosovo in the vicinity of Krusevac (central Serbia), KoSSev portal reports.

“Not only are such cases inhumane, but they also indirectly jeopardize the Serb people in Kosovo and Metohija“, the Eparchy said in a statement, adding that the perpetrators should be found and brought to justice.

Serbian Orthodox Church Raska-Prizren Eparchy expressed the strongest protest over recent unauthorized serving of Catholic mass on the remains of an old cathedral temple of Saint Nikola, seat of Novo Brdo Orthodox Metropolitans and main Orthodox Serbian temple in this medieval town, as well as placing political symbols of Kosovo on the Serbian medieval cultural, historic and religious heritage sites in Novo Brdo Special Protection Zone and organizing public gatherings and other activities aiming to promote the medieval Novo Brdo town as an ethnic Albanian location under unhistorical name “A

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Kosovo Dode Gjergji and the retired Bishop of Bar Zef Gashi with their clergy and a group of believers served a mass on Thursday at the remains of the Orthodox Christian cathedral of St. Nicholas in the vicinity of the Novo Brdo medieval fortress, KoSSev portal reports.

As it was announced, the mass was held in commemoration of August 1 – the (Albanian) Diaspora Day and, for the very first time, at the “Catholic Church of St. Nicholas.” The mass was attended by the head of the Kosovo Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments, Ismet Hajrullahu.

KoSSev portal reports that Raska-Prizren Eparchy continued with providing humanitarian aid to the vulnerable population in northern Kosovo. In addition to humanitarian points opened in Mitrovica North and Banjska Monastery in Zvecan, the new point was opened in Leposavic on Saturday.

From 3 to 4 July, food and hygienic packages were delivered to 192 families. It is mainly about elderly and sick people, families with several children, young unemployed persons and other socially vulnerable groups.

Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) Raska-Prizren Eparchy issued an urgent appeal to all SOC eparchies and humanitarian organizations to collect humanitarian aid regarding the latest situation in the north of Kosovo, Radio kontakt plus reported.

In the most recent report of the State Department on International Religious Freedom in 2018 particular attention was paid to violations of religious and property rights of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) in Kosovo, Raska-Prizren Eparchy said in a statement posted on its web-site.

"As the Bishop of Raška-Prizren, with our clergy, monastics, and faithful people, with great concern we condemn yesterday's excessive use of force by the Kosovo Police in the north of Kosovo and Metohija," Eparchy said in statement issued yesterday.

"Regardless of the real motives of this action, beatings, breaking of furniture, incursions into houses where civilians, women and children were intimidated with unhiden brutality, demonstrate that Pristina's intent was primarily to intimidate our population and demonstrate force.

In the village of Gojbulja, municipality of Vucitrn, church of St. Paraskeva was broken into, the Diocese of Raska-Prizren announced yesterday on its website.

The Diocese stated that the believers at around 16.00 yesterday noticed that the door to the church was broken. The incident was reported to the police, and the investigation was conducted. The money was taken from the icon in the value of about 20 euros that the believers left for Đurđevdan when liturgy was served in this church.

The works on construction of the mini-hydro plant in place called “Obe reke” in Strpce are halted until further notice, Radio KIM reported yesterday. This was announced following the meeting of Strpce inhabitants, investor, representatives of the local self-governance, police and judiciary.

Following the meeting, it was decided to check the documentation of Matkos-group company from Pristina, that is conducting the works.