What is behind the frequent efforts on snatching Serbian Orthodox Church’s (SPC) temples and property in eparchies which remained out of Serbia? They want to establish new state churches on our heritage in many states.

Intention of Kosovo Albanian authorities to confiscate SPC churches and report them to UNESCO as their own religious heritage is part of their old plan for expansion of the Albanian Orthodox Church on the territory of the Raska-Prizren Eparchy. There are ongoing efforts that Albanian Orthodox Church expands from Albania and take over SPC eparchies in Kosovo, or to establish a new Kosovo orthodox church.

“Confiscation of Serbian churches is in the character of the Albanian leadership and, unfortunately, in the character of the US and EU,” said Patriarch of the SPC Irinej recently.

After the break-up of Yugoslavia and Serbia during nineties, out of 38 SPC eparchies and metropolitanates, most of them remained abroad following creation of the new states in Balkans, whereas only 15 of them have remained on the territory of Serbia.

In foreign states SPC has a threefold status. In Balkans, US, Australia and Scandinavia it is registered as a religious community. In most of the EU states SPC is registered as civic association or private association. SPC monasteries in US and Australia have the status of the joint stock companies and companies of Serbian believers and the clergy.