Serbia’s high-ranking officials met Patriarch Irinej on Sunday to inform him about the current situation in the country, which President Aleksandar Vucic assessed as “difficult.”

Besides President Vucic, the meeting was attended by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic.

Following the meeting, Vucic said they informed the Serbian Orthodox Church leader about what is happening in Kosovo, adding that he would always listen to the stance and opinion of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

“We brought the text of the platform that Kosovo’s Albanians adopted for the purpose of ending the dialogue with Belgrade and briefed them (the Church representatives) about all Pristina’s activities and what they did – from failure to implement the Brussels agreement, introducing the taxes for the goods from Serbia to this platform which proved how much these people want to cause crisis and not solve the problems,” said President Vucic.

The situation that Serbia is now in is difficult, but the people and the state will not be left in the lurch.

“Thanks to Patriarch Irinej for taking his time to hear us, thanks to bishops, we will keep informing his holiness and all others about further and future moves,” added Vucic.

Patriarch Irinej assessed that such meetings are a necessity in order to hear all stances and suggested that representatives of the Church and the government should meet more often.