A recent claim by the Diocese of Rashka-Prizren alleges that a masked individual removed the Serbian Orthodox Church’s tricolor flag from the gate of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in Lipjan on the evening of December 4, around 6:00 PM.
The claim was originally circulated via a Serbian-language Telegram account, which was later echoed by the Diocese of Rashka-Prizren. According to their statement, the flag had been raised only one day earlier for the church’s celebration, and the act was described as vandalism.
“The Diocese strongly condemns the act, which was reported to the Kosovo Police. We hope the perpetrator will be identified and prosecuted, and that the crime will be treated as a serious offense with elements of hate rather than religious tolerance,” the Diocese stated.
However, KosovaPress could not confirm the incident. The 24-hour police report does not reflect any such case, and attempts to obtain comment from the Kosovo Police were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The Diocese’s statement further attempts to portray the incident as part of a broader pattern of pressure and intimidation against the Serbian Orthodox Church, implying that local institutions are neglecting such incidents.
Without independent verification or evidence, these claims remain unsubstantiated. Analysts note that similar allegations have in the past been used to amplify ethnic tensions, emphasizing the importance of fact-based reporting and official confirmation before drawing conclusions.
