On August 28 the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (Assumption of the Holy Virgin) was celebrated in all churches in Kosovo and Metohija. The day was especially festive in the monastery of Gracanica, where this important religious holiday is celebrated as the monastery patron saint's day.

Bishop Artemije of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija served Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the church of the Most Holy Mother of God with the concelebration of Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan and the priests, monks and nuns of the Diocese in the presence of a large number of faithful. In his festal sermon Bishop Artemije addressed those present as follows: "Today's holiday, the great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, is similar to Easter for just as on Easter the Lord was resurrected from the dead and ascended to the heavens so the Holy Mother of God on today's great feast reposed in the Lord. She died as human nature dictated but she also ascended to the heavens to be with her Son in the highest of heavens."

"If there is any human being that fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord it was the Holy Mother of God. From early childhood She dedicated her life to the Lord thus becoming worthy of being the mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate and by doing so serving in the salvation of all of humanity. Because she bore Jesus Christ Our Savior, she became worthy of being the protectress and intermediary before her Son of all of humanity, and truly she prays before her Son for the entire world and especially for those who call upon her in prayer. The Holy Mother of God ascended to be with her Son and to mediate before him on behalf of all of humanity.

"Through the years we have gathered here to celebrate the Holy Mother of God, and not only on this date but every Sunday and every day of the year her name is celebrated in churches and monasteries throughout the world. The Church has established a fast in anticipation of this feast of the Holy Mother of God so that through fasting and prayer we may become worthy to greet and celebrate this great holiday in suitable fashion," said Bishop Artemije at the end of his sermon.

After Holy Liturgy and a festal religious procession around the church Bishop Artemije and Bishop Teodosije cut the slava cake. After the cutting of the cake Bishop Teodosije addressed the faithful with these words: "For the salvation of our own souls, let us pray to the Most Holy Mother of God that she may lead us, too, to her Son and Our Lord through her prayers, and that she may protect us from all evil and every temptation here in this world.

"Let us thank God for giving us this day and for giving us the honor, despite the difficult circumstances in which we live, of celebrating Him and of praying to the Most Holy Mother of God for she is our advocate before the throne of the Lord. She constantly prays for humanity, offering as sacrifice heartfelt prayers, offering her sighs and tears for humanity and especially for those who suffer," said Bishop Teodosije in his sermon.

Traditionally on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God a fair is held in Gracanica. This year there was also an exhibition of honey and a football (soccer) tournament. The first exhibition of honey and apiary products held in Gracanica was organized by the Trnka Beekeepers Society and the opening remarks were by the head of the Kosovo district, Dragan Velic. The football tournament was dedicated to the memory of Dimitrije Popovic, the Serbian youth recently gunned down in downtown Gracanica.

Belgrade Media Update, 29-30 August 2004

Monday, 30 August 2004

Sřren Jessen-Petersen in first official visit to Belgrade
For the first time since he became UNMIK head, Sřren Jessen-Petersen will officially visit Belgrade where, according to announcements, he is to talk with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, and SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic. Danas carries that the position of the Serb community in Kosovo and the issue of Serb participation in the upcoming Kosovo Assembly elections are the main topics, said Danas’ sources close to the local authorities. Vuk Draskovic told Danas “We will insist on firm guarantees by the international community for the safety of Kosovo Serbs, full implementation of decentralization of powers in Kosovo, reconstruction of destroyed houses and churches. Under this we imply a document that would clearly guarantee the freedom of life and property of Serbs in Kosovo, on the basis of which the international community would be responsible and blamed if 17 March is repeated.”  According to Draskovic, at Belgrade’s insistence, “most of the world centres have accepted to use the term European status of Kosovo within a European Serbia and European Balkans, instead of the final status of Kosovo, understood by many to mean independence of the province.”

Tadic and Stefanopoulos on cooperation and situation in Kosovo
As reports RTS, Serbian President Boris Tadic has met in Athens with Greek President Kostis Stefanopulos on bilateral relations and the situation in the region, and especially the Kosovo problem. “Greece will not change its stand either regarding Kosovo or the central problems of the region, and we practically have the same stand,” Tadic said following a 40-minute meeting held prior to the closing of the Summer Olympic Games. Tadic added that Belgrade “has a great friend in Greece, which understands the problems faced by Serbia today.” He assessed that “this was very important for the Serbian foreign policy and for its plans and intentions regarding the stabilization of the state-of-affairs in Kosovo, and for calming down the security situation in the entire region.”

Dusan Janjic: Additional elections possible for Serbs
Analyst Dusan Janjic states there is a possibility of opening a dialogue in which all present obstacles would be removed, after which additional elections for Serbs would be organized. Whether Serbs will take part in the elections will exclusively depend on Belgrade’s decision, Glas Javnosti runs. Janjic says that it is good that the state has taken responsibility, but underlines that it is more important for Belgrade to offer a dialogue and active position of Serbs in that process, where it would insist on safety, and institutional protection of human and minority rights. The Serbs in the Assembly would be authorized to conduct negotiations with Albanians, while Belgrade would verify the agreement, said Janjic.

Statement against participation by Kosovo “Association of Serb municipalities”
The Association of Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo has stated that Serb participation in the provincial elections on October 23 serves no purpose, as the Serbs are completely deprived of rights and exposed to exodus and terror. In the statement signed by the Association President Marko Jaksic, it is said that Serbs are not against elections, but that it is morbid to expect that they should participate in the legalization of Great Albanian national projects by their decorative presence in the Kosovo Assembly. It is bizarre that five years after the exodus of Serbs UNMIK and the Kosovo government are presenting their plan on the decentralization of Kosovo that should ensure Serbs pure survival and comes down to resolving communal problems, reads the statement, Politika cites Tanjug.

China against Kosovo’s secession from sovereign SCG
China is against Kosovo’s secession and is ready to contribute, as a permanent UNSC member, towards finding a solution for the Kosovo problem, underlining that this is an issue of stability in all of Europe, Beta reports. High-ranking Chinese diplomat Weng Jing Hua, who is the director of the Chinese Foreign Ministry administration for Europe, told Beta in connection with the situation in Kosovo that it is a basic thing to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of SCG. “The implementation of Resolution 1244 is necessary in that. We hope that the fragile complicated Kosovo problem will be resolved in a peaceful manner, for which patience and wisdom are necessary.”

Ivanovic and Trajkovic on participation of Kosovo Serbs
Member of the Kosovo Assembly Presidency Oliver Ivanovic has voiced expectation that the final stand on the participation of Kosovo Serbs in the Assembly elections in the province will be known following the Contact Group meeting in Belgrade on 31 August. Radio Free Europe quotes Ivanovic as assessing that one should not indefinitely prolong on the participation of Serbs in the Kosovo elections. Non-participation of Kosovo Serbs in the elections could be a dangerous scenario, although participation in the past had not given concrete results, Ivanovic assessed, adding that “objectively, there is a divided stand among Kosovo Serbs,” but that a decision on this issue had to be made. KP AM Rada Trajkovic considers that the Serbian government should not give in to pressure and invitations by the international community, since otherwise it will not survive as its future is also linked to the political plan and program for resolving the Kosovo issue, Politika informs.

Protest in Pristina over missing and kidnapped
Politika writes that the Association of the families of missing and kidnapped persons and war victims has announced for 30 August a 12-hour-long blockade of the main crossroad in Pristina. One of the leaders of this association Sheremet Ademi has stated that the goal of the blockade is to exert pressure on local and international institutions in Kosovo that are not engaged enough in shedding light on the fate of these persons. According to the data from the association, five years after the conflict in Kosovo, the fate of more than two thousand missing persons is still unknown.

Sunday, 29 August 2004

Slovenian Office to be opened in Pristina (Blic/Beta)
Slovenia will open a Liaison Office in Pristina on 1 September. Slovenian Foreign Minister Ivo Vajgl will attend the opening ceremony. The office of the European Commission for Observing the stabilization and association process with the EU will also be opened in Pristina on 1 September.