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Why does the German Ambassador Rohde, refer to the Visoki Decani Monastery as a Kosovar monastery? - Kosovo Online 17–21 minutes _____ Just a few days after, at the initiative of the French and German Ambassadors in Kosovo, a memorial plaque dedicated to Serbian soldiers who perished in World War I was removed from the Orthodox cemetery in Pristina because it appeared in the frame during the commemoration they conduct on November 11th, Armistice Day, the chief diplomat of Berlin in Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, found himself at the center of yet another controversial event. Namely, after a recent visit to Visoki Decani Monastery, Rohde referred to this Serbian Orthodox Church monastery as "Kosovar", which, Kosovo Online interlocutors believe, is unlikely to be a mere slip by an experienced diplomat; rather, a more profound and dangerous motives are behind it. This is not the first time that representatives of certain Western countries have imposed a narrative about the existence of Kosovar cultural heritage, encompassing monuments of Serbian culture and the Serbs, as well as the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo. Our interlocutors point out that such claims are historically inaccurate, politically incorrect, diplomatically harmful, and further complicate the already complex situation in Kosovo. In Rohde's case, what additionally stands out is that in Decani, he led a delegation of German Ambassadors from the region who discussed challenges faced by the SOC and the Serbian community in Kosovo with the monastery's abbot, Father Sava Janjic. However, the German Ambassador did not mention a word about it but, on social media, he wrote, "We finished the conference of German Ambassadors from the region with an unforgettable visit to the Kosovo monastery that is on the UNESCO list“. Rohde's statement has sparked strong reactions from Belgrade, the Serbs in Kosovo, and politicians in Berlin. Zaklin Nastic, a member of the Bundestag from the "Sahra Wagenknecht" Movement, responded to the German Ambassador's statement, emphasizing that he did not mention the fact that the monastery was fenced with barbed wire, which was "evidence of the constant high threat of attacks and break-ins by the Albanian extremists on this Christian Serbian Orthodox cultural property". Petr Bystron, the President of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the parliamentary group Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag, stated that attributing Serbian cultural heritage to Kosovo was a diplomatic error of the first order and that such behavior was typical of diplomats from the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock's team. Historian Momcilo Pavlovic, the Director of the Institute for Contemporary History, tells Kosovo Online that the claim of the German Ambassador is simply not grounded in historical facts and is not logical. "The overall historical heritage is not created by the state but by the people, rulers, elites, wealthy individuals... Nations emerge and transform throughout history, state borders shift, but the heritage remains with the people who created it. According to the logic of the Ambassador that territory determines ownership of heritage, he should wonder, for example, Troy, Ephesus, and other ancient Greek cities are not in Greece today but in Turkey. However, no one in their right mind considers them Ottoman or Turkish cultural heritage. It is known, that they are ancient or Greek. The Ambassador can visit them with the same team and see whose heritage it is", Pavlovic emphasizes. He also questions why KFOR, which guards the Decani Monastery, would do so for whom, especially when Rohde says it is a "Kosovar monastery". "It is known when the monastery was built, and who erected it; throughout history, it is a living witness to overall developments across the entire Balkans, especially in Serbian-Albanian relations. On the other hand, according to the logic of the German Ambassador, it would be good for him to visit Nazi camps in Poland and then say it is a Polish (not) cultural heritage. The Poles would immediately throw him out. Yes, those camps are in the territory of Poland, but Germany built and established them. The Ambassador's logic doesn't support him either", the historian says. He points out that the need to construct the narrative of the "Kosovarization" of Serbian cultural and Orthodox heritage in the West is not new. "Since the 1990s, in the active process of dismantling the Yugoslav federation, German diplomacy and espionage have been at the forefront of this. Historians often say that Germans saw an opportunity to retaliate against all those who were against them in previous wars. Territorializing the Albanian issue only to the space of Kosovo does not solve but creates problems. They first, through various diplomatic actions and theses, tried to obscure the essence, which is supporting separatism and the separation of Kosovo from Serbia. To make this less brutal, some model, umbrella, diplomatic and political, must be created", Pavlovic says. He emphasizes that the Serbs have experience coexisting with the Albanians, but those who support Kosovo's independence "want to grant statehood to Kosovo separatists post haste, not because they love Albanians so much, but because they believe that the Serbs are the sole and exclusive culprits for everything that happened in the 1990s". Attempts to present Serbian cultural heritage as Kosovar are worrisome because these claims are unfounded in history and facts, fueling tensions and disturbing the already fragile stability in Kosovo, historian Dejan Ristic, Director of the Museum of Genocide Victims warns. Ristic tells Kosovo Online that career diplomats do not make such amateurish mistakes, and it is not about that here. Instead, it is a fact that there is an increasing number of such claims coming from a range of diplomats, not only German but also French and others. "There is a persistent effort to construct an anti-historical narrative that aims to transform the Kosovo and Metohija region historically, identity-wise, and in every other way from something that is a part of the state and national territory of the Republic of Serbia and the collective identity of the Serbs into something that will be the homeland of some prehistoric people, which is not Serbian but some ancient Albanian, an ethnic element in these areas. Especially during the medieval period, according to historical data and sources, such people did not exist in the area of today's Kosovo and Metohija. These statements should concern all of us because they are the tip of the iceberg since serious actions follow these statements. When someone makes such statements in public and not in a closed circle of people, it means that serious actions will follow, which can only harm the already complex situation in our southern province", Ristic says. He believes that there is no need to fear attempts to "Kosovarize" Serbian cultural heritage; instead, one should be resolute against such claims. Ignorance and anti-historical narratives should be fought not with violence but with knowledge. "And that knowledge should be demonstrated in our everyday lives, transferred beyond our linguistic boundaries, translated as much as possible, and communicated with the international community, especially in the scientific realm. We are not sufficiently aware that leading institutions in science, culture, art, and education in many democratic countries significantly influence the formation of public opinion and certain attitudes of their political elites. We have a lot of room to work, and many opportunities, despite numerous limitations and obstructions. It is up to us to be active, not passive. It is up to us to be at the table where discussions, negotiations, and dialogue take place, and not to be on the table, thus becoming the subject of various divisions and quarrels", Ristic emphasizes. He emphasizes that the action to defend against such attempts to rewrite the truth should be thoughtful, and grounded in knowledge and facts. "And then we will prevail. Not on the battlefield, as no one wishes for violence and suffering, but on this other, much more important field of preserving and affirming historical facts and the right of a people to continue living freely with members of other nations on the territory where they have lived for centuries, which is an integral part of the state integrity of Serbia", Ristic concludes. Diplomat Milovan Bozinovic also believes that it is unlikely that Rohde made a mistake; rather, the formulation that the Dečani Monastery is a "Kosovar monastery" is well-thought-out and in line with the policy that Germany has been pursuing in recent years. Bozinovic tells Kosovo Online that, after all, it is the ambassador's task not to make such mistakes, not to create confusion with his formulations that can be expected, and that a rival in a controversial case, such as the whole Kosovo story, will certainly not appreciate. "It's not accidental, not just because it's hard to imagine a mistake, but because it's a part of a policy that has been pursued in recent years. Such a formulation is not accidental". Bozinovic says, who was the Ambassador of Serbia to Berlin. He points out that, on the one hand, there is an attempt by the Albanian authorities in Kosovo to construct their own history of Kosovo that will then legitimize their aspiration to have their state. "On the other hand, we have Western countries, and unfortunately, Germany is at the forefront, strongly supporting them in this. You cannot be convincing in your efforts to be an independent state if you do not have a past that will explain all of that and make it logical. Then the truth is not held at all, and all these claims, which are not new, but have been going on for several decades, go in the direction of completely abusing the truth. None of this is supported by serious science, which Albanian pseudo-scientists and writers no longer want to consult. However, this then finds a positive response among those who insist for their geopolitical reasons that Kosovo indeed becomes a fully-fledged state recognized by others", our interlocutor notes. He adds that German foreign policy in recent years, since the arrival of the new government, has "undergone a deep transformation and degradation". "They are no longer a serious country whose political evolution I have been following for several decades, which knew how to find, even in more critical situations than today's, some formulation or solution around difficult issues burdening Europe that led to compromise or hinted at it, inspiring people with hope that it is possible. The way German foreign policy speaks today is a crude, Manichean approach to things, there is nothing but excellent, which is with us, or very bad, which is against us. There is no more finesse, no search for a middle ground. This is, therefore, a militant policy that is also exclusively in the service of the NATO pact", Bozinovic claims. It is paradoxical, he notes, that this is being done by a party that is green, left-oriented, and supposed to be progressive. "German foreign policy has undergone a regression in recent years, with European consequences as it has set European politics back. Their stance on the war in Ukraine reflects a militant exclusivity. The way they want Russia to capitulate, as explicitly stated by the head of diplomacy, Annalena Baerbock, will never happen, and Europe will face significant difficulties if something does not change in this regard", he emphasizes. Bozinovic also commented on the relocation of the memorial plaque for fallen Serbian soldiers at the Orthodox cemetery in Pristina, which occurred at the initiative of the French Ambassador Olivier Guerot and Rohde, describing it as a "sad occurrence", something that was not done anywhere. "To move it in a way that the side that will be hurt is neither consulted nor informed that it will be done is an arrogant attitude that is, simply put, unforgivable. Those who did this have 'stooped low'. It just doesn't go like that. We will see how they will justify it, allegedly everything will be returned as it was... But there remains the painful impression of bias in a difficult dispute such as the one between the Serbs and the Albanians, where there is such blatant support for one side. This is not serious foreign policy; all this must be done differently, especially when you have a conflict in which major powers are so involved. Then they really must figure out how to bring these quarreling partners to some peaceful solution. Certainly not like this. This is a low blow", Bozinovic believes. The statement that the Visoki Decani Monastery is "Kosovar" can only be made by someone who is uninformed and views certain things from a political perspective, historian Marko Markovic assessed for Kosovo Online, explaining that the term "Kosovar cultural heritage" could not be found anywhere in professional and scientific literature. Markovic claims that the statement of the German Ambassador Jorn Rohde, in which he refers to the Visoki Decani Monastery as "Kosovar", was extremely biased. "If we know that the Visoki Decani was built in the first half of the 14th century, we clearly know that it belongs exclusively to Serbian cultural heritage. One clear and unequivocal proof that Visoki Decani belongs to Serbian cultural heritage is the original Decani Charter, which has been preserved to this day and can be seen today in the Archives of Serbia, where it clearly states when Visoki Decani was built, who the builders were, who built it, and whose endowment it is. And anyone who reads that original Decani Charter has no doubt about who built it and whose cultural heritage it is. So, in every sense of the word, such a statement can only be made by someone who is not well-informed, who looks at these things from a political, or rather, a politically motivated aspect, with passion and partisanship, and in this case, the goals of the German Ambassador were clear", Markovic said. He explains that "Kosovar cultural heritage" does not exist. "The first thing that catches the eye in public is the term, for example, 'Kosovar cultural heritage'. Nowhere in professional and scientific literature can you find that term. In this area, there is Serbian cultural heritage, which is the oldest. Then, with the conquest of these areas, Ottoman cultural heritage emerged, and in the last 150 years, Albanian cultural heritage has emerged in this area", Markovic said. He also recalled the moving of the memorial plaque to Serbian soldiers who perished in the Balkan Wars and World War I on the military part of the Orthodox cemetery in Pristina, calling that move uncivilized and barbaric. "In the 21st century, in the heart of Europe, for someone to move someone else's monuments is simply incomprehensible to common sense. Regardless of whose monuments they are, everyone should treat them with the same respect. Therefore, I firmly believe that this relocation is not a coincidence but carries a certain political background, with the aim of rewriting history and putting aside those people who sacrificed for freedom, not only of their country but also of the allies. And that some other people, who can freely say that they did not participate in World War I, especially not on the side of the Allies, are presented as allies and as someone who made a huge contribution to the victory of the Allies. If we now connect this event in the context of marking Armistice Day in Paris, it will be much clearer to us in which direction this is going", Markovic assessed. When asked about the goal of representatives of Pristina who almost daily try to present Serbian cultural heritage as Kosovar, Markovic responds: "They want to build their statehood on some artificial and historically unfounded things. When you look at the past from their perspective, they have nothing to connect to, and when you don't have your own, you are only in a situation to take over and appropriate others, especially in the case of churches and monasteries", he concluded. Diplomat Zoran Milivojevic has no doubt that Rohde's statement reflects the position of the current German Government and policy. "The Ambassador stated how German policy currently sees it. Germany firmly supports Kosovo's independence, violating some agreements and international law itself. It stands in a deeper way than a mere slip of the tongue. It stands in a way that implies the exclusion of Serbia in every sense from the territory of Kosovo and Metohija. The case of moving the memorial plaque speaks to a political stance that suggests the conclusion that Germany does not see Serbia in those areas, neither in historical nor in political, or cultural terms. And this raises serious suspicion and dictates that we need to be careful about that", Milivojevic says for Kosovo Online. He warns that Rohde's statement is also confirmation that "some deep aspirations that are anti-Serbian and negate Serbia on those territories are still present". "It should be borne in mind that Germany lost two world wars against Serbia, and from this, we see that it is deeply rooted in political consciousness. I am not inclined to identify all Germans with this because there are sober and rational political structures in Germany that speak out and question such a stance. They start from what is the material truth in cultural, existential, and political terms. However, it is obvious that the ruling structure took positions that led us into the 90s after the fall of the Berlin Wall, when the Greens and liberals also played an important role in the bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the attitudes of German politics during that period. It's not a surprise; it's a continuity of a political stance and certain political structures that are ruling in Germany. And this is a serious warning to Serbia regarding political relations with Germany, when it comes to others, there are no reservations, but there are other interests at play", Milivojevic concludes. -- http:www.antic.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SERBIAN NEWS NETWORK" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/senet/0e9401da204d%2495bfb330%24c13f1990%24%40gmail.com.
