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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Contract on SPC assistance to Kosovo-Metohija signed

Gracanica, 29 February 2008

Serbian Minister of Religion Radomir Naumov stated today in Gracanica that, together with Bishop of Raska and Prizren Artemije, he signed a contract on Serbia’s direct investments and assistance to the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) in Kosovo-Metohija.

Naumov told the press that the contract aims to ensure that the bishopric of Raska and Prizren will not feel Serbia’s absence from the province in any way and added that he agreed with Bishop Artemije that the state and the SPC should jointly initiate legal proceedings against all countries whose troops were tasked with the protection of monasteries in the province on March 17, 2004.

He stressed that this will be one of the priorities of the Serbian government’s legal team which was formed yesterday.

Bishop Artemije said that he agreed with Naumov that the Memorandum on the Reconstruction of Churches and Monasteries, which the SPC signed with the Council of Europe and interim Kosovo institutions, is no longer valid.

We have not signed anything with the new Kosovo institutions, which we do not recognise, therefore the previous memorandum is no longer valid, explained the Bishop and noted that none of the churches and monasteries to which the memorandum referred have been reconstructed.

Bishop Artemije also stressed that new talks should be initiated with representatives of the international community, which would address the reconstruction of demolished and destroyed religious facilities. The reconstruction should be carried out by the SPC and the Serbian institutions, while the international community should supervise the works.

Naumov also visited Kosovska Mitrovica today where he talked with head of the Kosovska Mitrovica district Momir Kasalovic, president of the Zubin Potok municipal assembly Slavisa Ristic and president of the Union of Serb Municipalities and Settlements in Kosovo-Metohija Marko Jaksic.

He said on the occasion that the Serbian government will be steadfast in defending Kosovo-Metohija as an integral part of Serbia, and added that it is very important to send a clear message to the world that Serbia does not accept the present situation and decisions.

The Minister said that during the talks he pledged that the Serbian government’s unified stance to defend Kosovo-Metohija as an integral part of Serbia will not change, and that it will make efforts to ensure that Serbia’s presence in the province as a state will be made visible.