Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Virgin Ljeviska Church in Prizren must be protected from desecration, attacks

Belgrade, 13 April 2011

Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic said that the Ministry today demanded that the perpetrators of the theft of 20 square metres of the lead roof from the roof of the Church of the Virgin Ljeviska in Prizren are identified and punished, and requested that this cultural-historical monument is provided with adequate protection from desecration and attacks.

File photo of Goran Bogdanovic

Author: Tanjug

Bogdanovic pointed out that this is the third such theft of the lead roof from the roof of the church in the last five years. Devastating is the fact that the church is guarded by the Kosovo police, whose checkpoint is in front of the church.

The Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija has been pointing and warning that the Kosovo police is unable to adequately provide security for the monasteries of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) and Serbian cultural and historical monuments in Kosovo-Metohija, said the Minister.

He stressed that the Ministry requires EULEX, UNMIK and KFOR to seriously reconsider further involvement of the Kosovo police on the protection of SPC churches and monasteries, especially those on the World Cultural Heritage list.

Practice has shown that adequate protection of Serbian religious and cultural heritage sites can only be provided by KFOR, he said.

The Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija shall do its part to fix the damage on the church, said Bogdanovic and recalled that this 14th century church has been included on the list of World Heritage by UNESCO.