Petkovic: Albin Kurti’s terror is coming to an end— it is up to us to protect the Serbian people

The end of Albin Kurti’s terror is approaching, and it is the duty of the state of Serbia to protect the Serbian people in Kosovo, said Petar Petkovic, Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, at the opening of the Office’s stand at the International Book Fair. He emphasized that this year the aim was to focus the Office’s stand on historiography in order to clearly show whose Kosovo it is and who built and invested there.

Petkovic stressed that Kosovo is not only a source of spirituality and the pillar of Serbian national and spiritual identity but also a wellspring of creativity of the people who live and create there.

“Therefore, our people manage, through their effort and work, to continue investing and leaving their mark of creation in Kosovo and Metohija. It has never been easy in Kosovo and Metohija; as Saint Bishop Nikolaj said — Kosovo and Metohija are our Golgotha but also the place of our resurrection. That is why our creators from Kosovo and Metohija are the seed of resurrection of our written word and thought,” said Petkovic.

He pointed out that the stand of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija would host more than 30 exhibitors and over 110 authors from Kosovo who testify to the importance of the Serbian state and church, which stand as witnesses of the perseverance and survival of Serbs in Kosovo.

He warned that everyone must know where and how the Serbian state was created and recognize the importance of Serbian Orthodox monasteries in Kosovo, because there are those who now wish to change and take them away.

“The time has come when someone tried to deprive Serbian Orthodoxy of its character in that sacred place, and so it was for five centuries. Then the state began to rise again, but as long as our people are there, there will be Kosovo and Metohija. Even these days, they are trying to take away what is ours, but we will do everything to fight for our people in Kosovo and Metohija today, in almost impossible conditions. That is why it is important to gather in places like this. All these books are a kind of legacy for our descendants, so that they may understand and preserve Kosovo and Metohija just as well,” said Petkovic.

He added that work at the Office for Kosovo and Metohija is not merely a job but a mission.

“No matter how great the problems are, the strength of faith in Kosovo and Metohija gives us hope. Every terror has its end. I mentioned Turkish bondage, and now the terror of Albin Kurti and the Pristina regime is slowly passing. It is up to us to protect our people. This gathering itself bears witness to that unity. We are here to do everything that is within our power—no more, no less—and God will grant us what we deserve. Great thanks to Metropolitan Teodosije, to the monastics and clergy from Kosovo and Metohija, to our Prizren seminarians… In Kosovo and Metohija, we protect our people through two pillars—our Church and our State,” emphasized Petkovic.

He reiterated that their wish this year was to highlight historiography to clearly show whose Kosovo it is, who built there, and who invested there.

“Without Kosovo and Metohija, there is no us, no Serbian state. We will never abandon that vow. It is thanks to all those creators in Kosovo and Metohija and our enduring written word that so many new titles and books compel us to help creativity in Kosovo and Metohija even more strongly. Long live Serbia,” Petkovic told those gathered.

The Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in Prizren, Father Mihajlo, said it was a great joy to see so many people gathered at the Book Fair.

“We thank the Republic of Serbia and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija for supporting us for years. Thank God, books are being printed and published even in these difficult times. We always have some new edition to show the beauty of Kosovo and Metohija. To live in Kosovo and Metohija is a blessing and a great divine love that brought us there to live and bear witness,” said Father Mihajlo.

The event was attended by Serbian List officials Igor Simic, Ivan Zaporozac, and Zoran Todic, the Mayor of Strpce Dalibor Jevtic, and many other representatives of the Serbian List.

A film on the development of the written word in Kosovo and Metohija, produced by the Gracanica Cultural Center, was also shown.

In the rich cultural and artistic program, participants included seminarians from the Prizren Seminary, vocal artist Pavlina Radovanovic, the “Abrasevic” singing group from Priluzje, and many others.

At the Office for Kosovo and Metohija’s stand during the Book Fair, a rich and diverse program was prepared, featuring a total of 254 speakers and 60 hours of presentations. More than 30 exhibitors and publishers, some among the oldest in the Balkans, will present 112 works in the fields of science, literature, and art.

Iguman Manastira Svetih Arhangela u Prizrenu Mihajlo izjavio je da je velika radost videti ovoliki narod koji se okupio na Sajmu knjiga.

„Hvala Republici Srbiji i Kancelariji za Kosovo i Metohiju jer nas podržava godinama. Bogu hvala, štampaju se knjige i objavljuju se u ovim teškim vremenima. Uvek imamo neko novo izdanje pa možemo pokazati lepotu Kosova i Metohije. Živeti na Kosovu i Metohiji je blagodat i velika je ljubav Božija koja nas je tamo dovela da živimo i svedočimo“, rekao je iguman Mihajlo.

Događaju su prisustvovali funkcioneri Srpske liste Igor Simić, Ivan Zaporožac i Zoran Todić, predsednik opštine Štrpce Dalibor Jevtić i brojni drugi predstavnici Srpske liste.

Emitovan je i film o razvoju pisane reči na KiM u realizaciji Doma kulture Gračanica.

U bogatom kulturno - umetničkom programu učestvovali su bogoslovi prizrenske Bogoslovije, vokalna umetnica Pavlina Radovanović kao i pevačka grupa KUD „Abrašević“ iz Prilužja i mnogi drugi.

Na štandu Kancelarije za KiM tokom Sajma knjiga, pripremljen je bogat i raznovrstan program sa ukupno 254 govornika i 60 sati govornog programa. Više od 30 izlagača i izdavača, među kojima su pojedini najstariji na Balkanu, predstaviće 112 dela iz oblasti nauke, književnosti i umetnosti.