Serbian President spends Orthodox Christmas Holidays in Kosovo-Metohija
08. January 2010. | 05:54 http://www.emportal.rs/img/red-blue-arrow.gif06:56 Source: EMportal, Beta Serbian President Boris Tadic ended his two-day visit to the Visoki Decani monastery, south of Pec, and left Kosovo at about 1:00 p.m. on Jan. 7. Serbian <http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/serbia/109724.html> President Boris Tadic ended his two-day visit to the Visoki Decani monastery, south of Pec, and left Kosovo at about 1:00 p.m. on Jan. 7. Tadic and his associates attended the burning of the Yule Log and the Christmas liturgy. On Jan. 7, after the morning Christmas liturgy, which was performed by the abbot of the monastery, Teodosije, Tadic said that what is needed in Kosovo, above all, is for people to reconcile within their families, but also for nations to reconcile, because that is the solution to the suffering and the problems carried over from the past. "Today we are in the monastery of Visoki Decani, an Orthodox Christian monastery which represents one of the most beautiful monuments of Serb medieval architecture, but it also encompasses other influences. It emanates the spirit of the Mediterranean. We have the opportunity today to recollect all other Orthodox Christian monasteries," Tadic said. "We wish to preserve our identity as a European nation, as a common asset, just as this monastery is a common asset of world cultural heritage," he stated. "Serbia, as a country, is seeking its place among other (countries) in Europe. It seeks the recognition of its merit and existence in Kosovo and Metohija, and also wherever it exists in Serbia and in Europe and throughout the world," Tadic said, adding that Christmas is a day when he sends the message of peace not only to his compatriots, but also to the Albanians. Belgrade would like to see Kosovo join the European Union alongside the rest of the Balkans but as part of Serbia, President Boris Tadic said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. "I would like to see not only Serbia -- which means Kosovo -- in the European Union, but all southeast countries, to be integrated in the European Union as soon as possible, I hope in 2014," Tadic told journalists. In a gesture to the Kosovo Albanian population, he said: "Urime Viti i Ri" -- Happy New Year in Albanian. Last week Serbia appointed judges and prosecutors to work in the Serb-dominated town of Mitrovica in another challenge to the government in Pristina that does not control the northern area. About 100 Albanian protesters blocked the road for two hours en route to the monastery, where Tadic was to spend the night. NATO soldiers from Germany and Italy guarded the complex. The celebration in Visoki Decani was also attended by the Serbian minister for Kosovo and Metohija, Goran Bogdanovic, the state secretary of this ministry, Oliver Ivanovic, and the Serbian president's adviser for Kosovo and church issues, Mladja Djordjevic. President Tadic and his associates departed from Kosovo in a helicopter, taking off from an improvised helipad near the monastery. http://www.emportal.rs/en/news/serbia/109771.html
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