Metropolitan Teodosije Meets with the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Riho Terras, at Gračanica Monastery

Yesterday, a meeting was held at Gračanica Monastery between His Eminence Archbishop and Metropolitan of Raška and Prizren, Teodosije, and the European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Kosovo, Mr. Riho Terras.

Following a tour of the monastery church, a discussion took place during which Metropolitan Teodosije informed the senior representative of the European Parliament about the difficult circumstances in which the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Serbian people live in Kosovo and Metohija. Particular attention was drawn to the numerous challenges related to security, the protection of religious and cultural heritage, the exercise of fundamental human rights, as well as to the frequent incidents and pressures directed against the holy sites and the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

His Eminence emphasized that, despite all trials, the Church remains committed to preserving peace, dialogue, and coexistence. At the same time, he stressed that it is essential for the international community to assume greater responsibility for the consistent implementation of the law, the protection of religious freedoms, and the respect for existing legal guarantees for the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Mr. Terras expressed interest in the concrete problems the Diocese faces on the ground, as well as in the situation of the Serbian community in various parts of Kosovo and Metohija. During the conversation, the importance of the role of international institutions in creating conditions for a safe and dignified life for all communities was emphasized.

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren will continue, through ongoing contacts with representatives of the international community, to point to the real situation on the ground and to the need for systematic and lasting protection of the holy sites and the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija.