Decani Monastery: The campaign of discrimination against Kosovo Serbs is a challenge for regional peace

The Fraternity of the Decani Monastery announced the message of the American Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier at the USA Independence Day celebration in Pristina that their ancestors fought for all people to be equal and have the right to life and freedom, saying that they "hope that one day all citizens of Kosovo, regardless of ethnicity and religion, will enjoy the freedom they deserve".

"The current escalating campaign of discrimination against the Kosovo Serb community by the Government of Kosovo represents a serious challenge to regional peace and must be ended," Decani Monastery said on Twitter.

They also referred to the non-respect of property rights of the SOC in Kosovo.

"The evident disregard for the property rights of our Church by the Kosovo government, despite confirmed judgments by the highest courts, together with the constant defamatory rhetoric filled with meaningless accusations, must stop. These discriminatory actions do not contribute to the rule of law, but encourage religious intolerance and the potential for renewed violence similar to what our Church suffered in the years after the armed conflict in 1999, unfortunately, despite the international presence," they point out.

They emphasized that representatives of the SOC in Kosovo joined the celebration of Independence Day to show their gratitude for the continuous support of the US Embassy for the rights of the SOC.

"We believe that it is important for Kosovo and all its citizens to ensure the identity, freedom and dignity of all religious communities, just as it has been done in the USA, where the Serbian Orthodox Church has been peacefully progressing and being respected for more than a hundred years," emphasized the Decani Monastery.