Diocese of Raška and Prizren condemns “nationalist provocation” at Orthodox Church in Lipljan (VIDEO)

The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raška and Prizren has strongly condemned what it described as an act of desecration and an “open nationalist provocation” in Lipljan, where two ethnic Albanians allegedly placed flags of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and Albania on the fence surrounding an Orthodox church compound.

The compound contains the 14th-century Church of the Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Church of the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus.

In a lengthy statement, the Diocese warned that recent assessments pointing to an improved security situation in Kosovo do not, in its view, reflect the reality experienced by the Serbian Orthodox Church and the remaining Serbian population.

Two suspects detained by Kosovo Police

According to information cited by the Diocese, the incident occurred on the evening of August 10. A Kosovo Police patrol reportedly encountered two individuals as they were placing the flags on the church fence. The two were detained and the flags were removed.

The Diocese acknowledged the police response but said that the authorities’ handling of the case would ultimately be judged by the subsequent investigation, its legal…