Serbian Church in Kosovo Sets Terms for ‘Communication’ With Kurti

The Serbian Orthodox Church has given a guarded response to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's stated wish to open up dialogue with its best-known cleric in Kosovo, Fr Sava Janjic, the media-savvy abbot of the famous 14th-century Decani Monastery, in western Kosovo.

Kurti's office told BIRN on Thursday that it is waiting for a reply from Janjic after he wrote to the abbot, expressing interest in visiting the revered site soon.

"I strongly believe that only through direct and honest communication can we better understand each other, remove prejudices and misunderstandings, and address common challenges," Kurti wrote to Janjic in a letter dated May 20.

Kurti's letter was sent a month after the Decani Monastery was included on a list of Europe's most endangered sites by a pan-European cultural heritage federation, called Europa Nostra - a decision that annoyed Kosovo Albanian politicians, who called it politically motivated.

Europa Nostra noted that the monastery was being guarded by the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, and said it was "the only monument in Europe under such robust international military protection for a continuous period of 20 years".

In his letter to Janjic, Kurti insisted that his government "is interested in protecting all of Kosovo's cultural heritage". He added: "The cultural diversity of our country is the strongest guarantee for lasting peace. As Prime Minister of Kosova, I will protect all our monuments and particularly the Orthodox churches and monasteries."

Janjic has yet to comment in person on Kurti's proposed visit.

However, the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Prizren, to which Decani belongs, has already responded to Kurti's letter, in a tweet "regarding the letter of Mr Kurti...