Last Orthodox church in Pristina saved by UNMIK chief

Serbian Press Agency SRNA, Bijeljina 12-10-2005 14:23:16

Pristina - UNMIK chief Soren Jessen-Petersen recommended to Pristina municipal authorities that they abandon their intent to convert the Orthodox church of Christ the Savior into a secular building.

Petersen warned that he will not permit the building to be used for another purpose without the agreement of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

UNMIK spokesman Neeraj Singh said today at a press conference in Pristina that the warning came after Serbian Patriarch Pavle appealed to Petersen to prevent the Pristina Municipal Assembly from following through on its intent to turn the incomplete Orthodox church of Christ the Savior in the city center into a discotheque, a movie theater or an art gallery.

Singh said that Petersen appealed to the Pristina Municipal Assembly "to abandon the practice of monoethnic decision-making".

"Petersen warned that the protection of religious and cultural property is a part of his mandate within the framework of so-called reserved rights of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and that he would not permit the building to be used for another purpose without the agreement of the Serbian Orthodox Church," said Singh.