The Serbian Orthodox Church calls for respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Serbian people and their Church in Kosovo and Metohija

The Serbian Orthodox Church announced, regarding the ban on entry to Kosovo of Patriarch Porfirije, that from the point of view of human rights and religious freedom of any person, such a decision was unreasonable and absolutely unacceptable, according to the statement of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

"His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Mr. Porfirije, who according to the regular schedule was supposed to arrive today in the afternoon at the headquarters of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the monastery of Pec Patriarchate, was stopped at the Merdare administrative crossing by the authorities in Pristina and told that he had been forbidden to enter the Province. From the point of view of human rights and religious freedom of any person, such a decision is unreasonable and absolutely unacceptable. The Patriarch appeals to those factors who have real power in Kosovo and Metohija to, in accordance with their proclamation of human rights and freedoms, demonstrate that the Serbian people and their Church are not deprived of basic rights and freedoms. This means that, in the area over which they have full control, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church is allowed to worship in the first, current and historical seat of the Serbian Orthodox Church. That worship is a prayer for the whole world, for all people, and above all for the local community, for Serbs and Albanians, for reconciliation and peace between them," he says in the announcement.

The Patriarch, it is added, knows that the Serbian people, especially in Kosovo and Metohija, received this news with great indignation, but he is aking from them not to allow this provocation to become an excuse for further endangering our people and its sanctuaries.

"The Patriarch will not leave his people and will do everything possible to meet with them and to pray together with them to God as soon as possible," the Serbian Orthodox Church said.