UNMIK/PR/1096
PRISTINA – SRSG Harri Holkeri today attended the Orthodox Christmas service in Decani monastery and later met the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Pavle in the Pec monastery.
The SRSG also visited Decani town where the President of the Municipal Assembly Ibrahim Selmonaj (who belongs to the AAK), his deputy Nazmi Selmanaj and CEO Halil Tolaj, received him. They all walked through the town to the local mosque, where the SRSG met some town elders.
In his meeting with Patriarch Pavle, SRSG Harri Holkeri discussed the current situation and issues related to reconciliation of communities.
After the liturgy at the Decani monastery, SRSG Harri Holkeri attended a luncheon followed by a talk with Father Teodosije, the abbot of the monastery, which was built in the 14th century. He urged him to tell Kosovo Serbs to participate in the standards implementation process. He also heard concerns of the Kosovo Serbian community, as expressed by Father Teodosije.
Mr. Holkeri praised Mr. Selmonaj for his efforts to improve relations with the Decani monastery. He also commended him for working to develop the municipality by building roads and providing other services.
On his return to Pristina, the SRSG was informed about the window of a bus carrying Russian and Serbian visitors to the Decani monastery early afternoon being damaged when three individuals threw what appeared to be snowballs. No one was injured in the incident. The police is further investigating the case. The Russian and Serbian visitors had attended the liturgy along with the SRSG earlier in the day.
SRSG Holkeri expressed deep disappointment that on the day of Orthodox Christmas, at the very moment that he was talking about reconciliation in his visit to Decani and in his meeting with the Municipal Assembly President some individuals should demonstrate such narrow and outmoded thinking. Mr. Holkeri strongly condemned the incident.
