(Source: Kosovo-online, 21 May 2021; photos and captions Diocese of Raška and Prizren)
US President Biden (as Vice President) at Dečani Monastery in 2009. Mr. Biden was informed by monks of constant pressures by local Kosovo institutions as well as attacks on Christian Orthodox sites in Kosovo
The Kosovo Government has not commented on Quinta's request to implement the Constitutional Court decision on Visoki Decani Monastery land case, Kosovo-online portal reports citing Pristina-based Ekonomija online.
Quinta member states (US, France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain) in a joint statement issued on May 19 said that upholding Constitutional Court decision on returning 24 hectares of land to the Monastery would be one of the key tests for the new Kosovo executive power in implementing reforms and respecting the rule of law, Kosovo-online portal recalled.
Statement of the Quint Ambassadors on the anniversary of 5 years of non-implementation of the decision of the Kosovo Constitutional Court regarding the Dečani Monastery land
The decision has not been implemented for five years.
Decani Mayor Bashkim Ramosaj told Radio Free Europe on Thursday that he will not implement the Constitutional Court decision, thus confirming that municipal authorities have not changed their stance on the decision, the portal added.
“The decision of the Constitutional Court prevents citizens of the municipality from achieving their interests and economic development. In case a decision of the Constitutional Court is implemented, the Kosovo Government must undertake realization of many requests from the municipality”, Ramosaj said according to Kosovo-online.
The Association of Kosovo Historians “Ali Hadri” yesterday publicly opposed implementation of the Constitutional Court decision.
Head of the EU Mission in Kosovo Mr. Tomas Syunzog reacted to refusal of Kosovo institutions to respect the rule of law in his tweet expressing concern of the EU countries
Earlier Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kuriti wrote to Europa Nostra, that included Visoki Decani Monastery on its list of the seven the most endangered localities in Europe in 2021, saying that Monastery is in good state and faces no threats, while few days ago Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla and Minister of Culture Hajrulah Ceku also wrote to Europa Nostra regarding the same matter.
In its statement Serbian Orthodox Diocese in Kosovo made it clear that no dialog with Kosovo institutions is possible unless they show readiness to respect the Court decisions and the rule of law
FROM THE STATEMENT OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Full text of the Statement: KOSOVO INSTITUTIONS DISRESPECT THEIR OWN COURT DECISIONS AND LAWS - DIOCESE OF RAŠKA AND PRIZREN | Official Web Site | Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohija (eparhija-prizren.com)
"Serbian Orthodox Church Diocese of Raška and Prizren takes this opportunity to express not only its regret but its open idignation due to such behavior of Kosovo institutions which openly show legal incompetence and ill-willed position towards the Serbian Orthodox Church and its heritage. Diocese of Raška-Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) has always been and will be open for dialog with all people of good will as it is the position of the SOC Assembly of Bishops, but it will nevertheless not be able to attend any meetings with representatives of local Kosovo institutions until the decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo on the Monastery land is implemented. Also, unless the decision of the IMC which was unanimously accepted and signed affirming the bypass road solution in November 2020, Raška and Prizren Diocese will not be able to attend the meetings of the IMC as it is pointless to attend meetings with those who do not honor their own decisions and obligations. The Diocese emphasizes once again its readiness for a dialog as a SOC Diocese with administrative seat in Belgrade (as specified in the Ahtisaari document) but only if there is readiness from the Kosovo side for dialog and respect of laws and judicial decisions, especially towards the Serbian Orthodox Church (which is an obligation taken by Kosovo Government in Washington in 2020) and which is still insisted upon by the new US Administration. For any dialog confidence and respect of previously adopted obligations is indispensable. As we can see this is not the case, we expect from the international representatives to find ways to make Kosovo officials respect the rule of law and order."