The Ministry responded regarding the recent media statements by the so-called minister of culture, youth and sports of the provisional institutions of self-government in Pristina, Hajrulla Çeku, about "the first figures that show how many monuments, works of art and books have been damaged and how many artifacts that are part of the collection of the Museum of Kosovo still remain in Serbia", as well as that "a damage calculation was made to request monetary compensation for what Serbia caused".
The statement reminds that since the beginning of this year alone, there have been 30 attacks on the Serb population, their property and Serbian cultural and religious heritage.
During the pogrom alone, 35 churches and monasteries were destroyed, of which 19 were cultural monuments of the first category, as well as 16 Orthodox churches that were not categorised, about 10,000 valuable frescoes, icons, chalices and many other church relics, as well as books of baptisms, marriages, and deaths, which bear witness to the centuries-old presence of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, were burned and numerous Serbian cemeteries were desecrated.
Due to continued threats, we remind you that the Serbian monasteries of Gracanica, Visoki Decani, Patriarchate of Pec and the church of the Virgin of Ljeviska were inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2006, the statement added.