The Diocese of Raška and Prizren Condemns Revisionism and Incitement to Violence Against Serbian Orthodox Heritage in Kosovo and Metohija

Statement of the Diocese of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Diocese of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church expresses deep concern and strong protest over the inflammatory and highly irresponsible statements made by Professors Jusuf Buxhovi and Enver Rexha on KOHA TV, which were subsequently published on the KOHA news portal on March 19, 2025.

Among the many unhistorical and speculative assertions made, one statement stands out as particularly outrageous and dangerous—the claim by Mr. Buxhovi that the unfinished Church of Christ the Saviour, located in the centre of Pristina, should have been destroyed immediately after the war. Publishing such an outrageous statement in a leading media outlet is not merely provocative; it constitutes an open call for the destruction of religious sites and a blatant form of hate speech, which must be unequivocally condemned by all who value peace, religious freedom, and cultural coexistence.

The Church of Christ the Saviour, though unfinished due to the outbreak of war, is a consecrated place of worship belonging to the Serbian Orthodox Church. To call for its destruction is to advocate for religious intolerance, to encourage cultural erasure, and to provoke further hostility in a region that continues to struggle with the legacy of conflict. Such rhetoric fundamentally undermines any effort towards reconciliation and mutual respect among the communities of Kosovo. It also violates basic human rights, including the right to freedom of religion and the protection of cultural and religious heritage, enshrined in both international and Kosovo’s own legislation.

The Diocese is equally disturbed by other claims made in the same article, which are not only factually inaccurate but dangerously revisionist. The denial by Mr. Rexha of the existence of the Serbian nation in the Middle Ages, and consequently the denial of the Serbian character of medieval Orthodox monuments in Kosovo, is both historically and academically indefensible. Such statements fly in the face of a vast body of international scholarly research and documented historical evidence. The existence of the medieval Serbian state, its rulers, and its flourishing ecclesiastical and cultural life in Kosovo and Metohija are matters of public record, corroborated by countless historical documents, charters, architectural remains, and artistic achievements that have long been studied and recognised by global experts in the fields of history and art.

The Serbian Orthodox Church has never viewed its sacred heritage in Kosovo as something exclusively for its own community. While preserving and protecting these holy sites for centuries, the Church has always understood them to be part of the wider cultural and spiritual patrimony of humanity. These monuments belong not only to the Serbian Orthodox faithful but to all people of goodwill. This is precisely why four of the most significant Serbian Orthodox sites in Kosovo—Patriarchate of Peć, Dečani Monastery, Gračanica Monastery, and the Church of the Virgin of Ljeviš in Prizren—have been inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. Furthermore, due to the very real and continuing threats to their preservation, these monuments have been listed as World Heritage in Danger for more than two decades. They were so designated not because of political pressure, but because of their extraordinary historical value and the need for international protection, which remains urgent today.

Assertions that seek to erase the Serbian Orthodox identity of these sites and portray them as part of ethnic Albanian cultural heritage not only blatantly contradict well-documented facts and the historical continuity of their use but also stand in direct violation of Kosovo’s own legal framework. The laws of Kosovo explicitly recognise the Serbian Orthodox Church and its rights over its heritage. This includes the creation of Special Protective Zones around key and most vulnerable sites, enforced through the active participation of the Church in the Implementation Council for these Zones (IMC). The denial of this heritage and identity, particularly in the context of statements that contradict Kosovo’s own legislation, exposes a dangerous double standard and undermines the rule of law.

Moreover, the claim made by Mr. Buxhovi that the March 2004 riots were orchestrated by the Serbian government is a preposterous distortion of well-documented events. The riots, universally recognised as the gravest outbreak of violence in Kosovo since the 1999 conflict, were clearly perpetrated by Kosovo Albanian mobs incited by inflammatory media reports and nationalist rhetoric. During those three days of terror, 30 Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries were burned or heavily damaged, 4,000 people—mainly Serbs and Roma—were driven from their homes, hundreds of houses were destroyed, and 19 people lost their lives. These events were condemned by all relevant international actors, including KFOR, UNMIK, and numerous foreign governments. To now attempt to shift the blame to the victims of these atrocities, in the days when we commemorate the anniversary of the pogrom, is not only an affront to historical truth but a callous disregard for human suffering. It also signals a troubling tendency to rewrite history in ways that justify past violence and potentially encourage future unrest.

It is in this context that Metropolitan Teodosije of Raška and Prizren, in his recent meetings with the Special Representative of the European Union for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other international officials visiting Kosovo, has urgently called for stronger institutional and physical protection of Serbian Orthodox Church sites and faithful. The need for such protection is not abstract or speculative—it is grounded in the reality of persistent threats, as evidenced by the recent desecration of the 13th-century hermitage of Saint Peter of Koriša near Prizren. The bulldozing of the surrounding hill, which severely damaged this ancient sacred site and exposed its foundations, is a stark example of the neglect and even hostility shown by local authorities towards not only Serbian Orthodox Church heritage but cultural heritage as such. This act of vandalism, committed without regard for the sanctity or historical value of the site, demonstrates the ongoing vulnerability of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s presence in Kosovo.

Finally, it is profoundly regrettable that KOHA, a leading media outlet in Kosovo, has chosen to publish and promote such inflammatory and divisive content. By giving a platform to voices that promote hate, incite violence, and distort historical truth, KOHA undermines its own credibility and moral authority. Instead of contributing to a culture of peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding—principles that are essential for the future of Kosovo—it has aligned itself with forces that seek to deepen divisions and perpetuate conflict. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that this media outlet has published content denying Serbian heritage and the rights of the Serbian people.

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška and Prizren calls upon all responsible institutions, the international community, and people of goodwill, both within Kosovo and beyond, to reject hate speech and historical revisionism. The heritage in Kosovo is not the property of one community alone, but a shared inheritance that must be preserved in truth, justice, and peace. It is time to protect this inheritance not only with words but with concrete actions that ensure the dignity and rights of all religious and cultural communities in Kosovo are fully respected.

Raška and Prizren Diocese
Serbian Orthodox Church
March 21, 2025