METROPOLITE ARTEMIOS ON THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO
Athens, 8 June 2004 (18:43 UTC+2)

Metropolite Artemios of Kosovo spoke about the continuous persecution targeting the Serbs in Kosovo, the destruction of their homes, and the desecration and destruction of the Orthodox Christian churches and monasteries in the region.

He pointed out that in the past five years a total of 250,000 Serbs were led to exile, 40,000 homes and 115 churches and monasteries were destroyed before last March's incidents in Kosovo that also ended up to the results mentioned above.

In a press conference he gave in Athens today, the Metropolite of Kosovo also said that in the three-day period of March 17-19, 2004 a total of 4,000 Serbs were forced to leave their homes, 12 were killed, and 800 Serb homes and 35 churches and monasteries were destroyed. He said that the continuing killings led the Serbs to become refugees again stating characteristically, "they kill one, a thousand leave".

The Metropolite of Kosovo spoke of a failure on behalf of the international community to face the situation and accused the international forces, the KFOR included, that during their five-year long presence in Kosovo were unable to bring peace and freedom for the people in the region. He stressed that they brought freedom and rights only for the Albanians while tragedy
continues for the rest.

Ambassador of Serbia-Montenegro to Athens Dusan Batakovic stated that there is an ethnic cleansing plan targeting the Serbs in Kosovo calling the region of Kosovo "a terrible hotbed of crisis", while he presented his government's position in favor of the autonomy of the Serbs in the region.

He condemned the efforts made to falsify history, remove the Serb "seal" from the region and rename the Serb cultural heritage into "Kosovar".

Metropolite Artemios backed a "multiethnic Kosovo" and condemned the efforts made by "pseudo-historians" aimed at reducing the significance of the Serb presence in Kosovo.