EUROPEAN UNION
EUROPEAN UNION OFFICE IN KOSOVO /
EUROPEAN UNION SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
Pristina, 20 February 2014
First year of the Implementation and Monitoring Council:
a creative formula for developing trust-based relations
Over the last year the Implementation and Monitoring Council (IMC) has developed
as a platform through which the Kosovo Government, Serbian Orthodox Church, EU
Office and OSCE Mission in Kosovo cooperate and reach decisions together in
matters related to the protection of the Serbian Orthodox Church's religious and
cultural heritage within Special Protected Zones.
Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning, Dardan Gashi, and Minister for
Culture, Youth and Sport, Memli Krasniqi, are closely working with the representative
of the Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop Teodosije Šibalić, the Head of the OSCE
Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, and European Union
Facilitator, Ambassador Dimitris Moschopoulos.
Having concluded their eleventh session, which marks the first anniversary since the
IMC's establishment in February 2013, the members acknowledged the good will and
shared understanding which exists among them.
Ambassador Moschopoulos, who co-chairs the IMC together with Minister Gashi,
commended the pragmatic approach of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the
institutions of the Government of Kosovo for their constructive relationship. "As in any
complex process", he said, "there is still room for improvement, but we can already
anticipate more concrete results in the near future following the ones we have
already achieved."
Through the work of the IMC Kosovo Government has demonstrated commitment in
providing better conditions for the protection and preservation of the valuable
religious and cultural heritage and the IMC's membership remain committed to
building on this experience to ensure that the rule of law is respected and properly
enforced.
Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo and EU Special Representative
Samuel Žbogar sees in the IMC one of the examples how "with patience and
understanding dialogue can bring results. With the support of the European Union
and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, the IMC has proven to be a very creative formula
not only for the protection of heritage sites, but also for developing trust-based
relations between communities for the sake of all citizens."
Contact:
Stojan Pelko, Spokesperson & Press and Public Information Officer, European Union Office / EUSR,
stojan.pelko@ext.eeas.europa.eu, 038 5131 305, 00 386 49 787 928