Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren Dismisses Reports of Potential Signing of Fundamental Agreement with Pristina

Pristina (BETAPHOTO/Andrija Igić)

The Diocese of Raska and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Oct. 1 said that there was “absolutely no truth or logic" in statements by Momir Stojanovic, the head of the Serb National Council of Kosovo and Metohija, about potential signing of a fundamental agreement between the Serbian Orthodox Church and Pristina with guarantees of the Holy Sea.  

The Diocese said “it is well known that the Church can sign fundamental agreements only with internationally recognized states.” “This is yet another indication of how these arbitrary claims are dangerous and not benevolent, and how unprofessional are media outlets who have reported them, because they have not even tried to check their validity or ask the other side for a comment,” the Diocese of Raska and Prizren said in the statement. 

It added that the position of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Porfirije on Kosovo and Metohija were “crystal clear, and has been for years confirmed on a number of occasions at the meetings of the Holy Assembly of Bishops.” 

In a meeting with opposition representatives, organized by Serb associations in Kosovo and Metohija in Belgrade on Sept. 28, Stojanovic said that “the signing of a fundamental agreement between the Serbian Orthodox Church and Pristina has been talked about,” adding that the document had earlier been signed with Montenegro. In the meeting, he also spoke alleged reports that “Joanikije, Bishop of the Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Littoral, also serving as the exarch of the Patriarchate of Pec, and Teodosije, Bishop of the Diocese of Raska and Prizren, have been under pressure to sign the document.”