Kosovo Albanian media reported on Sunday that the Kosovo police is guarding the Serbian Orthodox churches for 9 years now, having received this responsibility from KFOR, KoSSev portal reported.

According to the data of Raska-Prizren Eparchy, although it is true that 16 churches in the territory of Kosovo are under the constant protection of the Kosovo police, while two more are regularly visited by police patrols, one of the most important Serbian Orthodox Church temples in Kosovo, Visoki Decani Monastery is still under KFOR’s protection.

TV Most reported on Sunday, its team has been banned to enter Saint Demetrius Church in Mitrovica North, where it wanted to follow the visit of several municipal delegations from Republic of Srpska to Kosovo and Metohija.

According to TV Most, a journalist and a cameraman were stopped at the Church’s door by a priest who said they do not have a blessing of Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije to enter temples and churches of the Eparchy until further notice.

Raska-Prizren Eparchy in the strongest terms condemned the vandal act in Velika Hoca during which a cross placed on a monument dedicated to the murdered and kidnapped Serbs from Orahovac area was demolished, Radio kontakt plus reported.

This latest attack indicates that the situation in Kosovo and Metohija has largely deteriorated, mainly due to the efforts to renew conflicts and expel the Serb population south of the Ibar River through the scenario of partition of Kosovo and Metohija, Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije warned.

On December 15th and 16th 2018, the Diocese of Raška-Prizren celebrated its 1000-year jubilee, commemorating the first written mention of the Prizren Diocese in the First Chrysobull of Byzantine Emperor Basil II.

See at: http://www.eparhija-prizren.com/en/news/announcement-diocese-raska-prizren-celebrates-its-1000th-jubilee-prizren-december-15th16th

After an attempt to renew their residence permit, one of the monks of the Raska-Prizren Diocese faced a threat that, within a few days, he could be deported from Kosovo and Metohija (KiM), KoSSev portal reports. The problem of documents that the majority of Kosovo Serbs have, has proven to be one of the more serious problems Serbs have been facing in this area.

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Marko Djuric and Secretary General of the Serbian Presidency, Nikola Selakovic would visit Mitrovica North tomorrow, KIM Radio reports.

As it was announced, Djuric and Selakovic would meet representatives of Srpska Lista at 15.00 at the Amphitheatre of the Technical Faculty.

“I strongly appeal once again to political representatives in Belgrade and Priština to show restraint and resolve all existing problems in a peaceful way. We also appeal to international representatives, especially KFOR, to prevent any possible incidents that might have unforeseeable consequences for all,” Serbian Orthodox Church Raska-Prizren Eparchy said in a statement late on Friday, KoSSev portal reported.

“For our Church, division of Kosovo and Metohija often mentioned in the media, is not only a political matter, but the matter of destiny of dozen thousands of our believers and the most important holy shrines,” Raska-Prizren Eparchy said in a statement, KIM Radio reported.

The reaction came following a wave of attacks by Serbian authorities’ representatives and the media, after the Eparchy issued an appeal “on the division of Kosovo and Metohija,” KIM Radio recalled.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic warned that if Kosovo and Metohija issue is not resolved, in 20 years Serbia would lose everything, RTS reported. President Vucic was asked to comment on an appeal sent by the Serbian Orthodox Church Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije, expressing concern over statements by some politicians from both sides regarding delineation.

In an appeal, Bishop Teodosije warned that division of the territories would lead to the departure of Serbs from the southern province and destruction of cultural heritage.