The US ambassador to Belgrade, Christopher Hill, reacted after the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Porfirije, was banned from entering Kosovo last week.

Hill stated that it is important that the Serbian community living in Kosovo can see the Patriarch and stressed that something like this should not happen again.

“I think it’s something fundamental to religious freedom there. I don’t think you will find anyone in the international community who opposes his right to enter Kosovo and meet the believers. This is our position and I hope that this will not happen again”, underlined the foreign diplomat.

Meanwhile, Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora has imposed a condition on patriarch Porfirija, so that the latter can be allowed his visit to Kosovo.

Through an official announcement, this institution stated that Porfirije has been asked to condemn or distance himself from “the actions of members of the Church who are providing support to criminal groups in the north of Kosovo” and who according to them are “responsible for the barricades” erected in this part of the country.