Statement of the Diocese of Raška and Prizren Regarding This Morning’s Arrests of Serbs in Suvo Grlo

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren is following with deep concern the reports of this morning’s arrests of Serbs in the village of Suvo Grlo and expresses pastoral solidarity with their families, as well as with the Serbian population of that area. This incident has, within a short time, caused significant distress and unrest among local residents, who for decades have lived in conditions of isolation, insecurity, and the absence of basic rights.

It is particularly troubling that those detained are individuals whom their community regards as peaceful villagers and family men, with no prior public allegations or proceedings over the past twenty-five years that would link them to the most serious crimes that are now reportedly being attributed to them. It is therefore understandable that these arrests have heightened feelings of insecurity among Serbs and are perceived as strong pressure that may lead to a serious situation in these villages. In small communities, when several people are deprived of their liberty, fear easily spreads throughout the entire village, affecting families and children and placing their future in question.

Suvo Grlo, Banje, and Crkolez are the only remaining Serbian villages in that part of Kosovo and Metohija, which survived the large wave of persecution and displacement after 1999 thanks to the courage and perseverance of their residents, who refused to yield to pressure and threats. For this reason, the local Serbian population perceives such actions, especially when carried out in an intimidating manner, as a message that seriously endangers their survival and deepens the sense of insecurity. The Diocese believes it is essential that institutions do not create such an atmosphere, as it undermines trust at its very foundations and further aggravates the already difficult conditions for normal life.

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren does not dispute the need for every individual war crime to be investigated and for justice to be ensured for all victims, regardless of ethnic background. However, truth and justice cannot be built on an atmosphere of collective guilt and the intimidation of the Serbian people through selective enforcement of the law, which we have witnessed particularly in recent years. Justice without trust does not heal wounds; it deepens them. It is therefore crucial that any action by law-enforcement bodies be based not on rumours and assumptions, but on clear and verified facts and evidence, with full respect for the presumption of innocence and the dignity of individuals and their families. Otherwise, new tensions are generated in sensitive Serbian communities. The frequent arrests of Serbs in recent years are increasingly perceived by our people as an open campaign aimed at driving the remaining Serbian population from their ancestral homes.

The Diocese expects the competent authorities to ensure that the treatment of the detained Serbs is in accordance with justice and human dignity. It is especially important to avoid actions that resemble public spectacles and that, in small communities, create additional fear, because the result is not the establishment of facts and truth, but the production of even greater anxiety and deeper mistrust.

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren calls upon international representatives and missions present on the ground to follow such cases with particular attention and to consider their wider consequences for the survival of small and vulnerable Serbian communities. Our small communities are not abstract “minorities,” but real people and families who are trying to live and work normally, raise their children, and remain in their homes.

As a Church, we remain with our people and will continue to provide spiritual and pastoral support to the families affected by these events. At the same time, we call upon the public not to ignore the real consequences that such developments have for the life of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. We pray to the Lord to comfort and strengthen the families of those detained, so that the truth may be established without injustice or bias, and that peace and a life without fear may return to our troubled people.

Diocese of Raška and Prizren