Serbian Orthodox Church

Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
December 29, 2005

ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS VISOKI DECANI MONASTERY

Italian foreign minister Gianfranco Fini and his closest associates visited Visoki Decani Monastery today and met with Vicar Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan, the head of the monastery.

Minister Fini arrived in Decani Monastery together with the Italian ambassador to Serbia-Montenegro, Mr. Antonio Zanardi-Landi, and was also accompanied by the commander in chief of KFOR, Italian general Giuseppe Valotto, general Claudio Mora and local Italian commanding officers.

Bishop Teodosije expressed his especial pleasure at being able to welcome the Italian foreign minister in the monastery, which represents one of the most important holy shrines of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

He used the opportunity to thank the Italian government for the protection of monasteries and Serbian enclaves in Metohija by the Italian KFOR contingent for the past seven years.

Bishop Teodosije advised Minister Fini that the Serbian Orthodox Church is vitally interested in the protection of its faithful and its holy shrines in Kosovo and Metohija, and that it is counting on the understanding and support of Italy, which has many friendly ties with Serbia.

Minister Fini informed Bishop Teodosije that Italy would do everything within its power to help the Serbian people and the holy shrines in the Province. He emphasized that the future of Kosovo can only be multiethnic and that the international community will strongly insist on this in forthcoming negotiations.

Minister Fini is presently on a visit to Kosovo and Metohija, where he visited the Italian military base "Villagio Italia" near Pec to share the joy of the Christmas and New Year's holidays with the Italian troops stationed there.

Source: www.kosovo.com

NEW ATTACKS ON SERBS AND POLICE IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Two new incidents occurred the night of 27-28 December in Zvecan and southern Kosovska Mitrovica in which no one was hurt, regional Kosovo Police Service spokesman Sami Mehmeti confirmed for the Coordinating Center’s International Press Center.

Just after midnight, at approximately 00:30 a.m. a hand grenade was tossed into the yard of a house in Zvecan, which is inhabited exclusively by Serbs. The head of household reported only damage to his house and automobile to the KPS, as there was none injured.

In the southern part of Mitrovica, unknown persons opened fire from a moving vehicle at a policeman who was going to work.

According to the police statement, there was an exchange of gunfire with the policeman. No one was hurt and the attackers fled in an unknown direction.

The prosecutor and a police investigative unit searched the location of the incident with a forensic unit. An investigation is in progress.

Source: www.kc.gov.yu

[Serbian Translation Services]