Bishopric claims road work resumed in Visoki Dečani monastery's protected zone

The Bishopric of Raška and Prizren has again raised alarms over renewed road construction activities within the Special Protected Zone of the Visoki Dečani monastery. The Bishopric alleges that heavy trucks and construction machinery have been deployed approximately two kilometers west of the monastery, working on a route connected to the long-disputed Dečani-Plav road project.

According to the Bishopric, neither the monastery nor church authorities were informed about the commencement of these works. They also claim that no project documentation was provided, nor was the required consent from the Serbian Orthodox Church sought, as mandated by the Law on Special Protected Zones. This lack of consultation and adherence to legal procedures is a significant point of contention.

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According to the nature and scope of the observed activities, the works exceed usual and limited road maintenance and bear the hallmarks of construction, reconstruction, or significant improvement of road infrastructure within the protected area.

Monks from Visoki Dečani observed the ongoing work, reporting the presence of heavy trucks delivering crushed stone and construction equipment leveling the material along the existing route. The Bishopric asserts that the scale and nature of these activities suggest construction or significant road infrastructure improvement, rather than routine maintenance.

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Neither the Visoki Dečani monastery nor the Bishopric of Raška and Prizren were previously informed about the new works. Nor, they state, was project documentation provided, nor justification for the purpose, scope, and legal basis of the works.

The Bishopric has formally requested the Kosovo Police and other relevant authorities to immediately identify who ordered and approved these works. They are seeking an investigation into the legal basis of the construction and the implementation of measures to halt the activities. This is the second statement from the Bishopric in less than 24 hours, following multiple warnings over the past week concerning the safety of the Visoki Dečani monastery and the legal protections afforded to Serbian Orthodox Church sites in Kosovo.

The disputed road project, particularly the section passing through the Special Protected Zone, has been a source of conflict for years between local and Kosovo authorities on one side, and the monastery, the Bishopric, and international representatives on the other. The Bishopric points to a 2020 agreement regarding an bypass route outside the protected zone, which they claim has not been implemented for six years.

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The consent of the Serbian Orthodox Church was not requested, as stipulated by the Law on Special Protected Zones, nor are we aware that the legally prescribed procedure before the Implementation and Monitoring Council has been initiated regarding this matter.