Serbian Ministry of Culture: Attack on chapel a message of hatred toward Serbs and their spiritual and cultural heritage

The Serbian Ministry of Culture has condemned the attack on the chapel at the Orthodox cemetery in Pristina and called on international actors not to remain silent observers of the systematic destruction of Serbian heritage and the intimidation of the people.

The desecration of the chapel, intended for prayer and funeral services for the deceased, in which the glass on the doors and windows was smashed, represents a clear message of hatred and hostility toward the Serbian people and their spiritual and cultural heritage, the Ministry of Culture stated.

“Given that last night in the village of Stanisor, in the municipality of Novo Brdo, graffiti with ‘KLA’ was written, this attack takes on an even more serious dimension, as it shows that this is part of a continuous pattern of intimidation and threats. Such actions are not isolated incidents, but part of a systematic effort to frighten, discourage, and drive Serbs from their centuries-old homes in Kosovo and Metohija,” the statement reads.

The responsibility for creating such a climate of fear and intolerance, the ministry emphasized, lies with the institutions in Pristina and Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, whose actions and rhetoric, they assess, encourage extremists to continue attacks on Serbs and their holy sites.

They added that silence and the absence of an adequate response only embolden the perpetrators to continue with violence, in which even deceased Serbs have long not been spared.

“The Ministry of Culture demands the urgent identification and punishment of the perpetrators and calls on international actors not to remain silent observers of the systematic destruction of Serbian heritage and the intimidation of the people. The Republic of Serbia will never accept the erasure and humiliation of its people and its sanctuaries. Preserving Serbian cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija remains our permanent national and civilizational obligation,” the statement concludes.