Radojkovic: Islam dominates in Kosovo, the Catholic Church is increasingly coming to the forefront

According to reports from Pristina media, instances of conversions from Islam to Catholicism are being recorded in Kosovo. Historian Stefan Radojkovic told Kosovo Online that this is purely an intra-Albanian ethnic issue that will have no consequences for the Serbs and that it will be interesting to see how the Islamic community responds to it.

He noted that the Catholic community has always existed in Kosovo, both among Albanians and among ethnic Croats who once lived there in greater numbers.

"The presence of the Catholic Church in Kosovo and Metohija is not new; what is new is the momentum gained by their missionary activities. This has proven quite successful, and there are several reasons for it. First, Ibrahim Rugova was involved in the construction of a cathedral in the center of Pristina, which not only symbolized the presence of the Catholic Church in Kosovo but also encouraged it, at least within the Albanian community," Radojkovic explained.

On the other hand, he pointed out that there are lobbying efforts in the international community aimed at portraying Kosovo as both a multicultural and multiconfessional environment.
"In global terms, identity is often associated with Mother Teresa, who was a Catholic nun of Albanian descent, albeit from Skopje. The ultimate goal is for the Vatican to recognize the Pristina administration, and over the past 20 years, this has led to a greater number of Albanians converting to Catholicism than was traditionally the case among them.

Of course, we must also consider individual choices; some people may be seeking meaning in religion, with some becoming more devout Muslims, while others convert to Catholicism. One thing is certain: their attitude toward Serbs, the Serbian community, and the Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija will not significantly change. This is purely an intra-Albanian ethnic issue," Radojkovic emphasized.

Among the Albanian ethnic community, he added, all three religions are present—Catholic Christianity, Orthodox Christianity, and Islam—with Islam being dominant in Kosovo, and the Catholic Church increasingly coming to the forefront.

"What will be interesting for those following intra-Albanian relations is how the Islamic community will respond to this, as they are ultimately competing for the same flock, or in other words, they share the same target group," our interlocutor stated.
A larger number of Catholics in Kosovo, he believes, will not influence the Vatican's stance on Kosovo's status.

"The Vatican does not allow itself to be guided by the particular interests of certain religious communities or their congregations in any region. The Vatican is an independent state with its own policies, which it conducts independently of any developments on the ground. Here, it will not be decisive whether there is a greater or lesser number of Catholics in Kosovo. What will be decisive is the relationship between the Republic of Serbia and Pristina. It is the Vatican's practice not to recognize any legal changes in status until there are sustainable agreements that they can support," Radojkovic explained.