Police use 1500 policemen to ensure security

Prishtina, Kosovo, June 28 – Serbs from Kosovo and Serbia celebrated Vidovdan (St. Vitus Day) at the Gracanica monastery this week, commemorating the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, when the Serbian kingdom was defeated by the Ottoman Empire.

In Gazimestan, Serbs marked Vidovdan, known as the battle of Kosovo. Among the participants were the Serb patriarch Irinej and also high officials of the Serb government. The main Ceremony held in Gazimestan started at 1:00 pm. The Kosovo police engaged 1,500 officers for ceremony security.

During the celebration of the main ceremony of Vidovdan in Gazimestan, several thousand Serbs came from different cities of the Republic of Serbia, with to kill all the Albanians and statements that Kosovo is the heart of Serbia.

Also in Kosovo for the ceremony was a delegation of the Russian Embassy in Belgrade, headed by Russian Ambassador Alexander Konuzin, who claimed to Foreign Policy Journal that Kosovo remains part of Serbia and that Serbia has no reason to recognize its independence.

“Something that is illegal should be closed and must return to where it was,” the Russian ambassador told the Journal.

Ambassador Konuzin declared opposition to the possibility of a cancellation of Resolution 1244 by the UN Security Council.

“Resolution 1244 in any way cannot be cancelled. Russia will always be there for the right to use its veto to cancel any opportunity or to attempt to cancel that Resolution,” the Russian Ambassador told cheering Serbian citizens gathered around the tower of the Battle of Kosovo on Monday.

Kosovo police told the Journal that some 11 delegations from Serbia were granted permission to enter Kosovo for the celebrations. “No incidents were reported during this time,” Baki Kelani, the Kosovo police spokesperson, told the Journal, even though the official car plates of the Albanian national television Top Channel were removed and posters placed that contained provocative messages.

Around 200 motorcyclists from Serbia arrived in Gazimestan under the escort of Kosovo police motorbike units. Some 900 motor bikers entered Kosovo on Saturday, while all the motorcyclists have been checked before entering Kosovo.

Serbian minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic and the minister of religion were present at the ceremony held Sunday night that was conducted by the Orthodox Church Patriarch Irinej.

“The battle that Serbia is facing at the moment in Kosovo is different from what Prince Lazar did with his fighters,” Bogdanovic said in Gracanica. “Today, it is time for unity, patience and reconciliation between us.”