Eastern Orthodox Churches destroyed in Kosovo

More than 100 Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries have razed to the ground or nearly ruined by Albanian extremists since the time when KFOR forces were introduced to Kosovo in June 1999, an official at the Patriarch's residence of the Serbian Orthodox Church has said. According to the official, this is the planned destruction of the Serbian culture in this Yugoslav province rather than uncoordinated acts of terrorism. In all, there were more than 1,400 Orthodox churches and monasteries in the province, the official is quoted by RIA Novosti as saying. He asserted that the peacekeepers had not prevented the demolition of shrines revered by the Greek Orthodox Church. Neither had they detained any malefactors. By the way, the 1244 UNSC resolution envisages that Kfor should protect religious objects. On March 2, Patriarch of Serbia Pavle and Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica sent a letter to UNESCO Director Koitiro Matsuura asking that this organisation should protect the Serbian Orthodox Church's shrines in Kosovo.