ERP KIM Info Service
Gracanica, August 06, 2003

In its public communiqué issued today the Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija completely distances itself from the joint statement of both Serb National Councils (SNCs), the Union of Serb Municipalities and the Serbian Resistance Movement (SPOT) issued two days ago rejecting the Basic Guidelines for Resolving the Kosovo Issue proposed by Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija head Dr. Nebojsa Covic and asking for his resignation.

The meeting of representatives of these organizations was held in Zubin Potok without the knowledge and blessing of Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren, the president of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija, and decisions made there do not express the position of the Diocese of Raska of Raska and Prizren, nor the official position of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija, says the Diocese in its statement.

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren wholeheartedly supports the Basic Guidelines for Kosovo and Metohija, and the activities of Dr. Nebojsa Covic and the Coordinating Center on behalf of the Church and its faithfull, and appeals to Kosovo and Metohija Serb leaders to direct their activities toward the goal of achieving all-Serb unity and mutual cooperation.

With the blessing of His Eminence the Bishop of Raska and Prizren Artemije, we include the whole text of the public communiqué:

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SERBIAN ORTHODOX DIOCESE OF
RASKA-PRIZREN AND KOSOVO-METOHIJA

PUBLIC COMMUNIQUE

The Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija completely distances itself from the joint statement of both Serb National Councils (SNCs), the Union of Serb Municipalities and the Serbian Resistance Movement (SPOT) issued two days ago rejecting the Basic Guidelines for Resolving the Kosovo Issue proposed by Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija head Dr. Nebojsa Covic and asking for his resignation.

This meeting was held in Zubin Potok without the knowledge and blessing of Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren, the president of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija, and decisions made there do not express the position of the Diocese of Raska of Raska and Prizren, nor the official position of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija.

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren wholeheartedly supports the Basic Guidelines of Serbian deputy prime minister Dr. Nebojsa Covic, as well as the great efforts that the Coordinating Center and he personally are making for the good of the Church and the Serb people in this region.

The guidelines proposed by Dr. Covic represent a very important basis for the drafting of a Declaration on Kosovo and Metohija to be adopted by the Serbia-Montenegro Parliament and the Republic of Serbia Parliament, and the building of a broader platform for the resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija problem within the institutional framework of the Republic of Serbia as soon as possible.

As well, the Diocese of Raska-Prizren appeals to the representatives of the Kosovo and Metohija Serbs to direct their activities toward the goal of achieving all-Serb unity and mutual cooperation, emphasizing the position of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church from August 4, 2003 that "neither Kosovo and Metohija nor the Serbian Orthodox Church can be used and abused in political clashes."

The Serbian Orthodox Church will continue to support every constructive political initiative with the goal of ensuring the survival of the Serb people and the preservation of Orthodox Christian holy shrines in this region, as it has done in the past.

Office of the Orthodox Diocese of
Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija
August 6, 2003
Gracanica Monastery

 
Joint Coordinating Center of Serbia-Montenegro and
the Republic of Serbia for Kosovo and Metohija
 

Dr. Nеbојsа Cоvic,
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia and
President of the Joint Coordinating Center of Serbia-Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia for Kosovo and MetohijaBеlgrаde,
July 22, 2003

BASIC GUIDELINES FOR RESOLVING THE KOSOVO-METOHIJA CRISIS

SERBIAN GOVERNMENT
Belgrade

FULL TEXT OF THE REPORT, MS WORD 80 KB

Proposal of guidelines for resolving Kosovo status presented July 22, 2003

Belgrade, July 22, 2003 - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Coordinating Centre for Kosovo-Metohija Nebojsa Covic presented on Tuesday a Proposal of guidelines and principles for the resolution of Kosovo status.

Speaking at a press conference at the Palace of Federation in Belgrade, Covic said that the main principles of the proposal are that Serbia must not give up Kosovo-Metohija, a principle also included in the proposal of the new constitution of Serbia, that Serbia must insist on the implementation of the UN SC Resolution 1244, must not recognise Kosovo's right to secession, must insist on the inviolability of borders, and on the position that Serbia and Montenegro can enter the Council of Europe, the European Union, the NATO, the World Trade Organisation and the Partnership for Peace only with its current borders.

Covic said that the approach called "standards before the status" must be implemented in Kosovo-Metohija. He added that the UN SC Resolution 1244 must be carried out by analogy with the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Erdut Agreement in Croatia.

Covic said that the principle of national self-orientation in Kosovo's strikingly multiethnic environment is discriminatory and warmongering.

ERP KIM INFO SERVICE
Gracanica, July 26, 2003

His Eminence the Metropolitan of Veles and Povardarje Kyr Jovan (Vranisevski), the Exarch of the Serbian Patriarch in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, has been released after spending five days in custody. Metropolitan Jovan was released on Friday evening. He stated that, unlike the brutal behavior of the police during arrest, his treatment by prison officials was correct and that he was allowed to remain clothed in his clerical robes. Charges will nevertheless be filed against him and the case is expected to be heard in court in September.

Metropolitan Jovan was arrested by Macedonian police last Sunday in Bitolj and was kept in custody for an attempt to perfom the Holy mystery of baptism in one of the city churchs, which was interpreted by Macedonian police as an act of "violating peace and order". For the Serbian Orthodox Church and all other Orthodox Churches worldwide Bishop Jovan is the only canonic bishop in FYR Macedonia. On the other hand the group of schismatic bishops who run unrecognized "Macedonian Orthodox Church" (MOC) defrocked Bishop Jovan earlier this month and are trying to obstruct his pastoral work using their contacts in the Macedonian police and Government. During the arrest Bishop Jovan, his clerics and family members were physically abused by the police.

Afer his release from the custody Metropolitan Jovan will continue to carry out his regular episcopal duties, regardless of threats by the unrecognized "Macedonian Orthodox Church" and police.

According to unofficial information, it is expected that beside Metropolitan Jovan, two of his clerics, abbot Joakim and deacon Marko will soon be consecrated as bishops of the Autonomous Ohrid Archdiocese, which will continue its spiritual and pastoral work in FYR Macedonia in canonic unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church.

MACEDONIAN POLICE MINISTER SAYS THAT BAN FOR SERBIAN CLERICS IS LIFTED

On the initiative of the "Macedonian Orthodox Church" Macedonian Police barred entry into FYR Macedonia of clerics and monastics, including several bishops, of the Serbian Orthodox Church, or alternately, demanded that they remove clerical robes and other characteristic insignia, despite the fact that these persons are in possession of valid documents and meet all requirements for unobstructed continuation of their travels across Macedonian territory. Serbian Government strongly protested against this repressive and undemocratic practice asking Macedonian Government to respect human and religious rights and requesting immediate release of Bishop Jovan.

Serbian Minister of Police Dusan Mihajlovic said for B92 (Belgrade) that in the meeting with his Macedonian colleague Hari Kostev it was resolved that Serbian Orthodox clergymen will be able to travel normally to or through FYR Macedonia in their clerical robes. Macedonian Minister of police clearly indicated that they will be treated as all other citizens coming to FYR Macedonia.

Representatives of the Belgrade and Skopje Government agreed that the conflict between the Serbian Orthodox Church with the unrecognized "Macedonian Orthodox Church" is the issue of the Church and should not damage traditionally good relations between two states.

CONTROVERSIAL MEMORIAL PLAQUE IS A POLITICAL SYMBOL AND SHOULD NOT BE PLACED IN THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX MONASTERY OF ST. PROCHOR

It is still not quite known whether the communist time Macedonian memorial plaque will be returned to Prochor Pcinjski Serbian Orthodox Monastery until August 2, as Skopje Goverment requested from Belgrade. In their most recent statements to the press some of the leading Serbian Orthodox Bishops quite explicitely expressed strong opposition to this idea. Placing political symbols in churches and monasteries is incompatible with the spiritual role of the Church, they say.

SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH GAVE SUPPORT TO POLICY OF DR. NEBOJSA COVIC AND KCC
DR. NEBOJSA COVIC PRESENTED THE THE PATRIARCH AND THE HOLY SYNOD OF BISHOPS HIS VIEWS ON THE BASIC PRINCIPLES FOR ENSURING SOVREIGNITY OF REPUBLIC OF SERBIA IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Dr. Nebojsa Covic in the Patriarchate
Church ready to support builiding all-Serbian unity

The Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
July 19, 2003

PUBLIC COMMUNIQUE

His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Kyr Pavle, His Grace Bishop Artemije of Raska and Prizren and His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa received Dr. Nebojsa Covic, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Serbian Government and the head of the Joint Coordinating Center of Serbia-Montenegro and Serbia for Kosovo and Metohija (KCC) in the Belgrade Patriarchate today.

The Deputy Prime Minister informed the members of the Holy Synod regarding the activities of the Coordinating Center on a plan to protect the fundamental state interests of the Republic of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija to date.
Pointing out our present unfavorable situation with regard to the position of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, the disregard for the human rights of minority communities and the treatment of the future status of Kosovo and Metohija, the Deputy Prime Minister presented his views on the basic principles that must be respected in order to ensure the sovereignty of the Republic of Serbia in Kosovo and Metohija, as follows:
- No one in Serbia has the right to give up Kosovo and Metohija, an inalienable part of Serbian state territory;
- We must insist on the consistent implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, guaranteeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Serbian state in Kosovo and Metohija;
- We must ensure respect for the principles of inviolability and unchangeability of borders guaranteed by several internationally recognized documents, and consequently respect for national and state dignity;
- The new Serbian Constitution is expected incorporate, in addition to the part on the inalienability of its territory, a separate provision prohibiting renunciation of Kosovo and Metohija.

- The forthcoming accession of Serbia-Montenegro to Euro-Atlantic organizations is possible only within the framework of recognized Serbia-Montenegro borders as confirmed by the Badinter Arbitration Committee;

- We will seek the protection of our property in Kosovo and Metohija through the permanent International Court of Justice in The Hague;

- Sovereignty and democracy are not opposing values and represent a sufficiently broad and flexible framework within which the final solution of the status of Kosovo and Metohija is possible taking into consideration the legitimate interests of both sides;
- We will seek to ensure wide autonomy for multiethnic and multiconfessional Kosovo and Metohija within which respect for the rights of all minority communities is guaranteed;
- We will seek to ensure the protection and prevent the appropriate of land owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.
The members of the Holy Synod of Bishops gave their support to the Deputy Prime Minister of the Serbian Government, Dr. Nebojsa Covic, for his efforts and policies being implemented with respect to Kosovo and Metohija.

Support was also expressed for Dr. Covic's view that it is essential to achieve all-Serbian unity. The Serbian Orthodox Church expressed its complete willingness to assist toward that end.

An agreement was reached that the proposed principles represent the basis for the drafting of a Declaration on the Situation in Kosovo and Metohija to be ratified by the Parliaments of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro, and the Republic of Serbia.

Aerial view of the church of Banjska Monastery and ruins of its medieval residence halls. A residence hall will be reconstructed this year next to the church to house a young monastic brotherhood.
  

RESTORATION OF BANJSKA MONASTERY BEGINS
Famous medieval monastery, destroyed by Turks in the 17th century, will be turned into a new spiritual center

ERP KIM Info Service
Banjska, July 15, 2003

The official restoration of Banjska Monastery (14th century) located not far from Zvecan began yesterday with the placement of the cornerstone for the new residence hall for this endowment of King Milutin. The foundation of the new residence hall, where a monastic brotherhood is expected to move in by the end of the year, was consecrated by Bishop Artemije (Radosavljevic) of Raska and Prizren with the clergy and monks of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren.

At a time when our people are living through difficult moments of their history, when our shrines in Kosovo and Metohija are being extinguished, when 120 churches and monasteries have been destroyed in the past four years, God has willed that our shrines that have lain dormant for several hundred years are being resurrected at the same time. This is a sign, proof and encouragement that those shrines being destroyed today will once again see the light of day when they are restored, said Bishop Artemije after the consecration in Banjska.

Bishop Artemije emphasized that for the reanimation of Banjska as well as other monasteries it is necessary for "the Serb people to persevere in the holy land of Kosovo and Metohija."

"As long as we are physically present in Kosovo, it will remain ours. If, God forbid, we should disappear from this region, Kosovo would not be Serb even if it remains within the borders of Serbia. We don't need Kosovo without Serbs. Therefore, we must persist and persevere in hope and salvation and remain in our land. And those of us who were forced to leave from Kosovo and Metohija must return as soon as possible so that God can administer to our entire people," emphasized Bishop Artemije.

The consecration of the foundation of the new residence hall of Banjska Monastery was attended by Bishop Justin (Stefanovic) of Timocka, representatives of the Joint Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija of Serbia-Montenegro and Serbia, which is financing the restoration of this medieval monastery, the Serbian Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, whose experts prepared the plans for the new residence hall, and residents of the village of Banjska.

BISHOP ARTEMIJE SERVES HOLY ARCHIERCHAL LITURGY ON THE RUINS OF ZOCISTE MONASTERY NEAR ORAHOVAC

Bishop Artemije and priests serve Holy Archierchal Liturgy on the ruins of Zociste Monastery

ERP KIM Info Service
ZOCISTE, July 14, 2003

Bishop Artemije and the clergy and monks of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren today served Holy Archierchal Liturgy on the ruins of the Monastery of Sts. Cosmos and Damian in Zociste near Orahovac. The monastery dedicated to the Unmercenary Physicians has lain in ruins for the past four years since being looted and burned down by Albanian extremists in the summer of 1999.

Priests and believers began to arrive in escorted KFOR vehicles in the early morning hours. About 100 people from the Orahovac area and northern Kosovo joined the clergy and monks in the courtyard.

Addressing the congregation Bishop Artemije thanked God that Serbs continued to gather at the ruins of their destroyed holy shrine, expressing the firm hope that conditions would soon be created for the restoration of the monastery and the life of the monastery brotherhood.

After the liturgy a requiem mass was served at the graves of Abbot Damian and Fr. Mojsije, followed by the blessing and cutting of the slava bread.

This year's celebration of feast day of the Unmercenary Physicians in Zociste passed without incident thanks to strong KFOR forces. After the service in the monastery, Bishop Artemije and the congregation visited the town of Velika Hoca nearby, where the slava lunch was served.

On the same morning in the village of Novake, some 20 kilometers east of Prizren, where the first Serb returnees came back in February, the slava of Sts. Cosmos and Damian was celebrated in the restored village church. Fr. Aleksandar Nespalic served Holy Liturgy for local residents who were joined by five buses of Serbs expelled from the region who wanted to celebrate the feast day together with residents. In the village 61 houses have been almost completed even though much work remains both in this village and other Serb villages nearby, all of which were systematically destroyed in summer of 1999 after the arrival of KFOR forces.

After the slava lunch in Velika Hoca Bishop Artemije visited the returnees in the village of Novake and wished them a happy slava. In his address to the people Bishop Artemije encouraged them to remain resolute in their efforts to restore life on their devastated ancestral homes.

More about Zociste Monastery - /esvraci.html

FIRST SERB RETURNEES TO VILLAGE OF BELO POLJE NEAR PEC

After four years as refugees the first Serb returnees come back to their devastated homes with the firm determination to restore the life of the devastated village

Upon arrival of returnees Thanksgiving to God served before improvised camp

ERP KIM Info Service
Pec, July 14, 2003

(Photo: Emotional moment upon exiting bus - Returnees carry icon of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, their new Patron Saints)

Today the first group of 25 Serb returnees returned to the village of Belo Polje near Pec after four years as refugees. The returnees were greeted in front of the Serbian Orthodox church by Frs. Sava and Xenophont of Visoki Decani Monastery and the nuns of the Pec Patriarchate. The welcome was also attended by Coordinating Center for Kosovo and Metohija representative Ljiljana Belos, as well as representatives of KFOR and UNMIK. This special and emotional event was also attended by representatives of the nearby Serb village of Gorazdevac, the only village in the Pec region where Serbs managed to survive after the war.

The returnees, who exited the bus carrying an icon of St. Cosmas and Damian, the religious feast celebrated today, were served with traditional bread and salt, followed by a formal thanskgiving to God served before the improvised camp where they will be housed. After the service the returnees were welcomed on behalf of Bishop Artemije, the clergy and monks of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren by Fr. Sava (Janjic):

"This is the day we have all waited for for so long, the day when you are once more returning to your homes to again build your houses out of ashes and rubble, and restore the life of Belo Polje," said Fr. Sava, who thanked God as well as all the people who helped in making the return possible. Fr. Sava expressed special thanks to the commander of Italian KFOR troops in Pec, Colonel Iubini, who made a personal effort to make the return possible. He also appealed to UNMIK and UNHCR to double their efforts to ensure these returnees succeeded in staying and restoring their destroyed homes.

After liturgy and homily the returnees were served lunch prepared by the nuns of the sisterhood of the Pec Patriarchate. KFOR has provided food supplies for the next week as well as fuel to power the electrical generator. Visoki Decani Monastery also sent food.

On behalf of Coordinating Center head Nebojsa Covic Ljiljana Belos welcomed the returnees and informed them that during the next few days the Coordinating Center would provide a refrigerator, a stove, pots for preparing food, as well as other necessities. The Coordinating Center also plans to provide long-term assistance for the restoration of the destroyed homes.

The returnees thanked all those who welcomed them and who assisted in making the first organized return to the municipality of Pec possible. Despite the almost complete devastation of their village, the returnees are filled with great enthusiasm and a firm determination to restore their homes and bring their families in the near future.

The village of Belo Polje is located in the southern outskirts of Pec. The biggest Serb village in the Pec region, it is mentioned for the first time in the Decani Charter of the Holy King Stefan Uros III of Decani in 1327 as a part of the church estate. After the end of the armed conflict in 1999 and the treacherous murder of five Serb villagers, the entire Serb population of the village was forced to leave their homes despite the presence of KFOR. Albanian extremists then systematically looted and set fire to all 280 Serb homes. Since then the roads and yards have been covered with garbage and debris brought from nearby Pec. All the fruit orchards in the village were cut down, and the water and electrical infrastructure was destroyed. By a miracle of God only the Church of the Most Holy Mother of God built in 1868 survived the complete destruction; however, extremists looted it and partially burned the interior. The village cemetery, which stretches around the church and is adjacent to the city Orthodox cemetery in Pec, has been largely desecrated. Dozens of tombstones have been toppled or completely broken.

Returnees to the village of Belo Polje will be protected by members of Italian KFOR who have a newly built base nearby called "Villaggio Italia" (Italian village).