Albin Kurti allows Patriarch Porfirije to visit Kosovo

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has given permission to the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije to visit Kosovo. Porfirije is expected to come today [ Thursday].

In the announcement issued by the government, Porfirije will reportedly come to the border crossing in Kosovo and enter without his bodyguards.

“at noon today, Minister for Return and Community Nenad Raspqi asked Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to allow the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church to enter Kosovo, within preparations for the Festival of Orthodox Christmas”.

“Patriarch Porfirije has warned that this afternoon it will come to the border crossing between Kosovo and Serbia, and that it wants to enter without his bodyguards, even though there is no request for visits under the provisions of the existing agreement. Minister Rassic, Prime Minister Kurti responded positively to”.

The warning of Patriarch Porfirije that he plans to enter Kosovo without bodyguards is yet another testimony that Kosovo is a safer place than Serbia”, the report said.

And the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had set conditions for allowing his visit to Kosovo, apparently not met.

The most crucial appears to have been a statement by US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill, who expressed the next day that he hoped the stop would not be repeated.

“First of all, I think it is important that the Serb community see the patriarch. I think this is fundamental to religious freedoms. I don't believe you will find someone in the international community who opposes his right to enter Kosovo and meet with believers. This is our position, and I hope this won't happen again”, he has declassified Hill.