KFOR: No evidence of alleged smuggling of weapons to churches in Kosovo and Metohija

Photo: Tanjug/AP

KFOR announced today that there is no evidence of the alleged smuggling of weapons into (Serbian) Orthodox churches in Kosovo and Metohija in ambulances, through administrative crossings in the province.

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The event mentioned by a member of the British parliament, Alicia Kearns, refers to 2022, when a UK battalion was deployed in the north of the Kosovo and Metohija as support to KFOR, according to this NATO mission in the province.

"The alleged presence of illegal weapons was reported to the KFOR Headquarters, but after further investigation to find confirmation of this, no evidence was found. There is also no evidence of the alleged smuggling (of weapons) across the administrative line between Kosovo and  (central) Serbia to Orthodox churches (in Kosovo and Metohija) in ambulances," KFOR stated.

For additional information, KFOR referred to the so-called Kosovo security organizations.

British member of parliament and chair of the foreign affairs select committee Alicia Kearns accused the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) of participating in the smuggling of weapons from central Serbia to Kosovo and Metohija.

Previously, the SPC Eparchy of Raska-Prizren SPC warned against these very dangerous accusations that criminalize the Serbian Orthodox Church, which some Pristina-based media are already using with the aim of spreading religious and ethnic hatred, which directly threatens the Serb clergy, monastic community and religious buildings.

"The Eparchy of Raska-Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church, through its actions and statements in the last 30 years, before and after the armed conflict in Kosovo and Metohija, was and remains very clearly against any violence, because it is contrary to the basic evangelical principles and the mission of the Church. That's why it wants to act with full seriousness and responsibility on this occasion," a statement said.

It added that the Eparchy insists that Kearns' allegations be urgently investigated.

"That is why we are publicly asking the KFOR mission with which the British unit (Royal Fusiliers) that was mentioned was deployed, to inform the public whether they can confirm the allegations of the British MP, because it is impossible for the British soldiers in KFOR to have this information and not communicate it to their superior structures in the KFOR command. If these claims are proven to be true, church persons who are proven to be involved in the abuse of the SPC facilities and church services for allegedly transferring or storing weapons, will bear the strictest church punishments and will not be able to continue their public service," said the statement.

In the event that KFOR cannot confirm these claims, the Eparchy of Raska-Prizren will request, through the British embassy in Pristina, an apology from the said MP, for making inflammatory and untrue statement that have serious consequences.

"The Eparchy of Raska-Prizren does not want in any way to see these claims made by Ms. Alicia Kearns about the SPC in Kosovo and Metohija remain at the level of defamation and become a means of imposing collective guilt on our Church, and therefore those responsible for the possible criminal acts or spreading false information must be investigated as soon as possible and publicly named, and the public must be informed about everything, because these accusations primarily represent an act of spreading religious intolerance, and a direct call to commit violence against our Church, which has been exposed to physical attacks, various types of slander and other forms of discrimination in Kosovo and Metohija for years," the statement said.

Pristina media wrote on Wednesday that Kearns recently met in London with the prime minister of Pristina's provisional institutions, Albin Kurti.

(Telegraf.rs)