The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church declared their official position regarding the tragic incident in the Banjska monastery in northern Kosovo, where three Serbs were killed along with a Kosovo policeman. The incident marks a major escalation between Kosovo and Serbia.
In its statement, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Church emphasized its commitment to a peaceful settlement and dialogue in Kosovo and Metohija to ensure the peaceful coexistence of Serbs, Albanians, and all other peoples in the region, wrote orthodoxtimes.com
They reject accusations of meddling in the tragic events and emphasize that the goal of those trying to involve the Church in conflicts is to oust the Serbian Church and its faithful from Kosovo and Metohija.
The statement also highlighted the numerous attacks on Serbian shrines, people, and even children, as well as unjust arrests in recent months. They firmly state that Kosovo and Metohija are an integral part of the state of Serbia and support the continuation of a peaceful dialogue to achieve peace and resolve vital issues for all those living in the region.
The statement reflects the Church’s position on the situation in Kosovo and their commitment to peaceful coexistence and dialogue.
Background
The killing of a Kosovo policeman and the related shootout in a village near the Serbian border became one of the most serious escalations in the region.
Three armed Serbs were killed in an hours-long standoff with Kosovo police after the group ambushed a police patrol near the village of Banjska and then barricaded themselves outside an Orthodox monastery.
The Kosovo officials accuse the Serbian government of backing the attack on Kosovo police, a charge Belgrade denies.
Kosovo’s interior ministry accused a prominent Serbian politician of masterminding the attack. The ministry said on Wednesday that one of the gunmen killed on Sunday had served as a bodyguard for Serbia’s sitting intelligence chief, Aleksandar Vulin, during a trip to Kosovo back in 2013.
