October 12th 2006
Independence could trigger tragic consequences for
Europe
MOSCOW, Oct 12 (Tanjug) - Raska
and Prizren Bishop Artemije of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) warned on
Thursday that if Kosovo and Metohija were granted independence, this could
trigger tragic consequences throughout Europe.
"I would compare the independence of Kosovo with a malignant toumor that is
spreading and which could affect both its surrounding regions and the entire
Europe," Bishop Artemije told reporters in the Interfax news agency in
Moscow.
According to him, seven years
after the deployment of the international troops in the province, it has become
a black hole rife with crime, narcotics trade, arms smuggling and human
trafficking.
"An independent Kosovo would
become a base for extremist forces, and its separation from Serbia would result
in the annihilation of the Christian community and the erasing of all traces of
the 1000-year history of Christianity," Bishop Artemije set out.
He pointed out that since the arrival of the international forces, over 150
orthodox churches and monasteries have been demolished, and more than 400
mosques have been built from funds supplied by Saudi Arabia and the other
Persian Gulf countries.
(end)
