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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Entrusting KPS with protection of Gracanica mere provocation

Belgrade, 5 August 2010

Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said today that KFOR’s decision to hand over the protection of Gracanica monastery to the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) is an outright provocation and a move not leading to peace, stability and trust.

In a written statement to the media, Bogdanovic declared that such a decision introduces further insecurity and broadens the gap of distrust among Serbs in the province, adding that any such move not backed by Belgrade and the Serbian Orthodox Church encourages Pristina to continue making unilateral moves.

The Minister observed that this is also an attempt to present the poor security situation in the province in a better light.

He stressed that the protection of Serbian holy places and cultural and historical facilities cannot be entrusted to those who destroyed them in the past or stood by silently watching those same churches being desecrated and demolished.

Bogdanovic recalled that UN Security Council Resolution 1244 tasked KFOR with maintaining security in Kosovo-Metohija, which also implies the protection of Serbian cultural and historical monuments, monasteries and churches.

This is why the decision to hand over the protection of Gracanica monastery to the KPS is a provocation and a move which does not lead to peace, stability or trust, Bogdanovic emphasised.