New acts of vandalism committed in Kosovo
29.11.2002 · English, Архив 2002
NEW ACTS OF VANDALISM COMMITTED IN KOSOVO
Two more Orthodox churches in Kosovo were attacked by extremists. On the night of November 17, 2002, the church of All Serbian Saints in the Northern Kosovo village of Djurakovac was damaged by a heavy blast. Windows and doors were smashed but the church herself stood fast. Several hours later, St. Basil of Ostrog church in the village of Ljubovo built in 1939 was utterly destroyed.
More than 110 Orthodox churches have been destroyed or underwent barbarous attacks by armed extremists since the international peacekeeping force was introduced into Kosovo. Archbishop Artemius, Administrator of the Serbian Orthodox diocese of Raska and Prizren, made the UN Mission Command, which states that “a sufficient security level has been established in the region”, responsible for the continuing acts of vandalism. There are many facts indicating that UN Mission affirmations are false.
His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, has sent a telegram to His Holiness Pavle, Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, where he severely condemned the new acts of vandalism. “The destruction of monuments of spiritual culture has not and cannot have any justification,” the telegram says. “The Russian Orthodox Church has always spoken for the peaceful coexistence of nations adherent to different religions,” His Holiness Patriarch Alexy stressed.
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