Kosovo: Serbian archbishop forced out
Belgrade, 5 May(AKI) - The Serbian Orthodox Church announced that Archbishop Artemije had stepped down as its chief representative in Kosovo amid accusations of embezzlement of church and state funds. Artemije, 75, has been spiritual leader and unchallenged authority among some 100,000 Serbs in Kosovo, where the Albanian ethnic majority declared independence from Serbia two years ago. He was suspended in February, after two of his closest associates were caught defrauding church funds of 350,000 euros. Artemije is known for his ultranationalist and anti-Western views. He had ordered his clergy to cease contact with Kosovo's ethnic Albanian authorities and the European Union mission there after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The scandal sent shockwaves through the church which caters to around ten million Serbs throughout the world. Kosovo Serbs and monks in medieval monasteries had sent a petition in support of Artemije. But the church's highest governing body, the Holy Sabor ruled at its meeting late Tuesday that it was in the best interests of the church for Artemije to retire. Two of Artemije’s associates have been arrested, but he was mainly held responsible for poor management and not directly accused of fraud. http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=3.1.346008190
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