Priest Vasic: Burglars took the donation box from the church in Dobrotin, residents concerned

Priest Milan Vasic, parish priest of the Church of Saint Demetrius in Dobrotin, which was broken into last night, stated that the burglars took the box containing voluntary donations, noting that the local residents are concerned about all the incidents that have occurred in the area recently.

Father Milan recalled that three years ago the parish office was broken into, and now the church itself was broken into, from which, in his estimation, between 500 and 600 euros were taken.

Explaining that the break-in happened around three o’clock after midnight, when the electricity went out, he said that the Kosovo Police conducted an investigation, but that so far there is no additional information about who broke into the church.

“Three years ago we had a case where burglars broke into our parish office, made a mess, and took three thousand dinars. Last night they broke into our church and took the box with voluntary donations. In that box we were collecting money for the paths we needed to build; there was a larger amount of money. I don’t know the exact amount, but from conversations with people, I can conclude it was around 500–600 euros. In the yard they forced open the box and took the money”, Father Vasic said.

He added that the damage has already been repaired, but fear and anxiety remain.

Recently in Dobrotin, graffiti reading “KLA”, “Albania”, and “Free Gaza” were painted on the health center and kindergarten, and Father Milan noted that residents are worried about the increasingly frequent incidents.

“There is great fear among the people; they are more concerned about what will happen next. It is not indifferent to them. We haven’t even seen police patrols going around the village. Maybe that will change after this, but for now, it is like this”, the priest said.

He added that with faith in God, the residents of Dobrotin will endure.

“In these 27 years, if God were not with us and did not protect us, none of us would have survived until now. But we trust in God, and through that hope we will endure and withstand all pressures”, Father Vasic said.

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija stated that such attacks are a result of Pristina’s extremist and anti-Serbian policies, and for that reason it is calling for a more decisive and concrete reaction from international representatives and for the punishment of extremists.