Americans criticise Cameron Shala for Orthodox Church

Americans do this criticism in the annual report on freedom and religious right, and in which the burden of some violations concerning respect for religious rights and freedoms in Kosovo.

“Religious groups said municipal authorities often did not provide them equal rights and benefits, especially in terms of religious property and burial sites. The Pristina municipality, citing the absence of a construction permit, continued to ban Serbian Orthodox monks from cleaning and mending light at the unmarked Church of Christ Savior after vandals set fire in 2016”, the report said.

The former Serbian Orthodox Church said former Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Mejtim Shala has failed to fulfil a promise to issue a permit to rebuild a church at the Archandangel Monastery in Prizren”, it is now said.

The report stresses that Kosovo's Constitution prohibits religious discrimination and provides freedom of religion, subjecting itself to restrictions to ensure order, health and public security or to protect the rights of others. The law does not allow religious groups to register as legal persons, creating obstacles for them in carrying out their affairs.

“Parliament reviewed a bill that would allow religious groups to register as legal persons so that they could develop business and judicial issues with state and private entities. Parliament adopted the law in a first reading on November 29th and is expected to hold a final reading at the beginning of 2018<18x1>, the report said.

The report also cites criticism of Decani municipality chairman Rasim Selmanaj, who refused to implement a 2016 Constitutional Court ruling that gave the Serbian Orthodox Church 24 hectares of contestive about the Visoki Decani Monastery.

The “Judicial system did not keep it in account. The Islamic Community of Kosovo (BIK) announced social discrimination and employment against devout Muslims, especially in the public sector. The government has worked with BIK to combat violent extremism and has condemned the vandalism of religious sites”, the report said.

The report also cites the case of the attacks on pilgrims by protesters in Decani.

“In an incident, protesters threw stones and red paint on a bus carrying pilgrims to the Orthodox Church in Gjakova, damaging a window and <x1-> the killer” painted with ala on the church's outer wall.

On several occasions, unidentified vandals damaged KOS religious properties, despite government protection. An ethnic Serb damaged a mosque in the Partesh municipality; KOS condemned the incident. Religious organisations met regularly to discuss property rights, legislative priorities and local community issues”, the report said.

Ambassador and representatives of the US Embassy often met with government officials to promote religious tolerance, passage of legislation to allow religious institutions to obtain legal status and full implementation of the law protecting religious sites and to discuss efforts to resolve religious property disputes.

The American Embassy, according to the report, regularly defended and at all levels of the government for full implementation of judicial decisions in behalf of minority religious communities.

“Ambada decompositions public officials, educational institutions and other entities to engage in discriminatory employment practices against devout Muslims or other religious groups”, the UN report's summary said.