Serbia and Montenegro (includes Kosovo)

International Religious Freedom Report 2006

Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

The report for Kosovo is appended at the end of this report.

The constitution and laws of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro provide for freedom of religion, and the state union Government generally respected this right in practice. There was no state religion in Serbia and Montenegro; however, the majority Serbian Orthodox Church received some preferential consideration. The constituent republics of the state union handled most religious affairs. The constitution and laws of the republic of Montenegro provided for freedom of religion and generally respected this right in practice. The republic of Serbia adopted a discriminatory law on religion that creates an inequality among religious groups. President Tadic indicated that he would seek to amend the law which, in its current version, would impede the free practice of religion in Serbia.

During the period covered by this report, Montenegro's government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion in its republic. However, government respect for religious freedom in Serbia deteriorated over the period because of the problematic law on religion.

There were some instances of discrimination and acts of societal violence directed against representatives of religious minorities in Serbia and Montenegro. The Jewish community in Serbia reported continuing incidents of anti-Semitism, including anti-Semitic books, during the period covered by this report; however, there were fewer incidents directed at religious groups overall than during the previous reporting period. Leaders of minority religious communities often reported acts of vandalism, hate speech, physical attacks, and negative media reports labeling them "sects," "satanists," or "deviants." Police and government officials took some positive steps in response to acts of hate speech and vandalism; however, in Serbia, the punishments for perpetrators tended to be lenient.

The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with the state union and republic governments as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. Embassy representatives meet regularly with representatives of ethnic and religious minorities as well as with government representatives to promote respect for religious freedom. During the reporting period, embassy representatives advocated for changes in the laws on religion and restitution that would rectify some of the discriminatory aspects of the legislation. The embassy also assisted in rebuilding administrative offices of the Islamic communities in Belgrade and Nis that were heavily damaged by fires in March 2004.

Section I. Religious Demography

The state union of Serbia and Montenegro (excluding U.N.-administered Kosovo) has an area of nearly 35,300 square miles and a population of approximately 8,186,000. The predominant faith in the country was Serbian Orthodoxy. Approximately 78 percent of the citizens of Serbia and Montenegro, including most ethnic Serbs and Montenegrins who professed a religion, were Serbian Orthodox. The Muslim faith was the second largest in Serbia and Montenegro, with approximately 5 percent of the population, including Slavic Muslims in the Sandzak, ethnic Albanians in Montenegro and southern Serbia, and Roma located throughout Serbia and Montenegro. Roman Catholics comprised approximately 4 percent of the population and were predominantly ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina, ethnic Albanians in Montenegro, and ethnic Croats in Vojvodina and Montenegro. Protestants made up approximately 1 percent of the population and included Adventists, Baptists, Reformed Christians, evangelical Christians, members of the Church of Christ, and Pentecostals. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and Jehovah's Witnesses were also present. Serbia and Montenegro had a small and aging Jewish population numbering between 2,000 and 2,400. The remainder of the population professed other faiths or claimed to be atheist. In a 2002 census, 3 percent of Serbian citizens claimed to be nonbelievers or declined to declare a religion. According to Montenegro's 2003 census, almost 70 percent of its population was Orthodox, 21 percent was Muslim, and 4 percent was Catholic.

Approximately one hundred foreign missionaries from several faiths operated in the country.

Section II. Status of Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework

The constitution and laws of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro and those of the republic of Montenegro provide for freedom of religion, and the governments at these levels generally respected this right in practice. However, the law on religion in Serbia, adopted in April 2006, discriminates among religious groups and requires minority religious groups, including religions that have been previously recognized, to re-register through an invasive and burdensome procedure in order to attain or retain their status as recognized religions.

There is no state religion in Serbia and Montenegro; however, the Montenegrin Republic's constitution mentions the Orthodox Church, Islamic Religious Community, and Roman Catholic Church by name, stating that these and other religions are separate from the state. Serbia's law on religion recognizes seven "traditional" religious communities: the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Slovak Evangelical Church, the Reformed Christian Church, the Evangelical Christian Church, the Islamic religious community, and the Jewish religious community. The 2005 law on finance also recognizes only these seven religious groups, granting them tax exemptions, although the law was pending in the Constitutional Court at the end of the reporting period, and the minister of religion wrote letters to several minority religious groups stating that they would not have to pay taxes.

Serbia has not recognized other Orthodox churches, despite attempts by the Macedonian, Romanian, and Montenegrin Orthodox churches to gain recognition. The new religion law reinforces this unwillingness to recognize them: Article 19 stipulates that the name of a religious organization cannot contain a name or part of a name of an existing registered group. For example, no group including the word "Orthodox" or "Evangelical" in its title could be registered as those are already found in the names of the traditional churches.

Serbia's law on religion was the sixth iteration of a bill that was long under development. Previous versions perpetuated the special status and privileges of the seven traditional communities, but the Government had appeared committed to working with religious communities and the international community to grant privileges to smaller religious groups. However, the sixth version was submitted without adequate opportunity for comment. Key articles of the law that would grant the privileges of the traditional seven to pre-existing religious communities, including many smaller Protestant churches, were inexplicably dropped from the text at the last minute. Religious groups and international organizations who had long been engaged on the issue were not informed of last-minute changes in the draft and were caught unawares by Parliament's passage and the president's subsequent signing of the bill. President Tadic himself expressed reservations about the legislation; he attached a list of his reservations when he signed the bill and acknowledged that the legislation did not conform to international standards.

Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), religious communities, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission were highly critical of Serbia's religion law. It recognizes the "traditional" seven religious communities, while all other religious groups must now re-register with the Ministry of Religion, which has the discretion to decide whether to grant approval. Many of the religions now required to re-register have been recognized officially as religions in Serbia for over 50 years, and have been present in the republic for as long as 150 years.

The registration requirements, deemed invasive by the Council of Europe, include submitting names, identity numbers and signatures of members; proof that the religious group meets the threshold of 0.001 percent of adult citizens of Serbia (approximately sixty-five persons); the group's statute and summary of its religious teachings, ceremonies, religious goals, and basic activities; and information on sources of funding.

Montenegro has no legislation to regulate the work of religious communities.

The Orthodox Church also received preferential treatment beyond tax exemptions: the Serbian Government continued to collect money from postal charges for construction of a large Serbian Orthodox Church and to subsidize salaries for Serbian Orthodox clergy working in Kosovo and internationally.

The Serbian Government required all religious organizations to submit annual financial statements as businesses. On March 2, 2005, Novi Sad's commercial court fined Serbia's Baptist Union $308 (20,000 dinars) and its vice president, Zarko Djordjevic, $62 (4,000 dinars) for failure to comply, but suspended the fines because the Baptist Union had been unaware of the requirement. In 2004, the Adventist Church was fined $633 (500 euros) for the same offense. In 2005, legal proceedings were underway against the Adventist Church and the financial director of the Serbian Orthodox diocese of Raska/Prizren for failure to submit annual financial statements; the defendants submitted their paperwork and charges were dropped.

Religious education in Serbian primary and secondary schools continued during the period covered by this report. According to a 2001 Serbian government regulation, students are required either to attend classes from one of the seven "traditional" religious communities or to substitute a class in civic education. The proportion of students registering for religious education remained approximately equal to the proportion registering for civic education courses during the reporting period. Some Protestant leaders and NGOs in Serbia and in Montenegro continued to voice their objection to the teaching of religion in public schools. In Montenegro, religious studies have not been introduced as a subject in primary and secondary schools.

Orthodox Christmas and Orthodox Easter are public holidays in Serbia and Montenegro. These holidays do not negatively affect other religious groups.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion. However, police response to vandalism and other societal acts against religious groups rarely resulted in arrests, indictments, or other resolution of incidents. Some government officials continued to criticize minority religious groups as "sects," "satanists" and "deviants." In addition, government actions have made it difficult for Orthodox churches not recognized by the Serbian Orthodox Church to operate in Serbia, including the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Macedonian Orthodox Church, and the Montenegrin Orthodox Church.

Local authorities ordered the demolition of a Romanian Orthodox church built on private, rural land (which does not require building permits) in the village of Malajnica, Serbia. The authorities evidently acted because the local Serbian Orthodox clergy had not granted approval for the church as a matter of Orthodox Church rules and jurisdiction. The case was pending in the Supreme Court at the end of the reporting period, and the church remained standing. Local authorities also threatened to charge the church for the demolition of its own building.

There is no chaplain service in the armed forces. Although local Serbian Orthodox priests are the only clergy offering religious services at armed forces chapels, members of the armed forces of other faiths can attend religious services outside their barracks and spend important religious holidays with their families. Because of cost considerations, the army has not implemented plans to meet Muslim soldiers' dietary requirements, which would require separate kitchens.

In Montenegro, the Reis of the Islamic Community noted that Islamic prisoners and army conscripts have difficulty in receiving proper foods, i.e. meals without pork.

The town of Leskovac, Serbia, has a municipal Council for the Prevention of Addictions and Religious Sects. The Council identified Adventists, Baptists, Pentecostals, the Evangelical Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, and "satanists" as sects and promoted propaganda against them.

There was limited progress in Serbia during the period covered by this report on restitution of previously seized religious property. The Government reported that it was near to completing a register of seized religious property. As a temporary measure, a few religious communities were granted free use of some facilities that had been seized from them. At the close of the reporting period, Parliament was considering a draft law on restitution of religious property in Serbia. This draft law would recognize claims for religious property confiscated in 1945 or later; some religious groups-particularly the Jewish and Islamic communities, who lost land prior to 1945-expressed opposition to this benchmark.

The Belgrade Islamic community reported continued difficulties in acquiring land and government approval for an Islamic cemetery near the city. Religious organizations generally continued to report difficulty obtaining permission from local authorities in Serbia to build new worship facilities.

Montenegro's 2004 Law on Restitution treats religious property as it treats privately owned property. In Montenegro, the Serbian Orthodox Church claimed property comprising a significant part of the Republic's territory.

In 2004, the Government of Montenegro built a temporary waste facility on a site in Lovanja. A claim filed by Catholic priest Don Branko Zbutega that the Catholic Church held title to some of the land was rejected, and a countersuit filed against him by the Montenegrin Government was upheld. Zbutega appealed the $2,510 (2,000 euros) fine imposed on him in the case. The court trial regarding the ownership of Lovanja was pending; Zbutega died in April 2006.

The Montenegrin Government challenged a decision by the Ministry of Defense of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to transfer military property to the majority Serbian Orthodox Church in 2003. Montenegrin officials claim the transfer was an illegal attempt to prevent the Republican Government from obtaining this property when the federal state was dissolved and replaced by the state union of Serbia and Montenegro. The case remained unresolved at the end of the period covered by this report, largely because of a moratorium on most transfers of military property.

There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees in the country.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Anti-Semitism

Jewish leaders in Serbia reported continued incidents of anti-Semitism, including small-circulation anti-Semitic books and Internet postings. The release of new books or reprints of translations of anti-Semitic foreign literature often led to an increase in hate mail and other expressions of anti-Semitism. These same sources associated anti-Semitism with anti-Western and anti-globalization sentiments, as well as with nationalism.

On July 10, 2005, graffiti appeared in Smederevo's main square that read, "Beware of the Jewish influence on government and the private sector," "Inflation comes from the Jews," "Death to Zionism," and "Riot against Jews," and included swastikas and Nazi slogans. Smederevo police arrested two suspects and a court sentenced them to thirty days in prison for inciting national, religious, and racial hatred. On July 11, anti-Semitic graffiti appeared on a Novi Sad synagogue; the perpetrators remained unidentified.

On September 3, 2005, anti-Semitic graffiti appeared on a Novi Sad synagogue during the celebration of Days of Jewish Culture in Serbia. On September 5, anti-Semitic graffiti appeared again in Smederovo.

On November 18, 2005, a guest on the television show "Problem" alleged that Jews knew in advance about the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. The guest also made disparaging remarks about Jews in Serbia.

On February 12, 2006, graffiti appeared on a monument in Nis saying "Holocaust-the Jewish lie that governs the world," along with nationalistic slogans such as "Serbia for the Serbs."

Improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for Religious Freedom

According to the NGO Center for Tolerance and Inter-Religious Relations, the amount of anti-sect reporting in the media declined slightly during the reporting period. The number of attacks against religious minorities also generally declined during the period.

While Serbia's law on religion discriminates against minority religious groups, the seven "traditional" religious groups recognized by the law reported a general improvement in their status during the reporting period. These groups welcomed the new law on religion as a step that, while imperfect, is in their view a positive first step toward improving interreligious relations.

Police continued to guard the Belgrade mosque since it was attacked in March 2004. They also provided security in front of the Belgrade synagogue.

Section III. Societal Abuses and Discrimination

While relations between members of different religious groups were generally good, there were some instances of discrimination against representatives of religious minorities in the country. Religion and ethnicity are intertwined closely throughout the country, and in some cases it was difficult to identify discriminatory acts as primarily religious or primarily ethnic in origin.

Minority religious communities in Serbia continued to experience problems with vandalism of church buildings, cemeteries, and other religious premises. Most attacks involved spray-painted graffiti; thrown rocks, bricks, or bottles; or vandalized tombstones.

On July 5, 2005, several tombstones at the Catholic graveyard in Srpski Itebej near Zrenjanin were severely damaged and leveled to the ground. On July 15, unknown perpetrators set fire to the door of the Adventist church in Rakovica, near Belgrade. On July 21, windows at the Backa Palanka Adventist church were broken; similar attacks at the same place occurred August 13 and August 21. Police charged a group of suspects with property damage.

On August 12, 2005, unknown perpetrators broke windows and painted graffiti on the Adventist church in Sivac. On August 27, windows were broken at the regional headquarters of the Adventist Church in Novi Sad. On September 7, dozens of graves at the Sencansko Catholic graveyard in Subotica were desecrated. Subotica's mayor condemned the attacks.

Unknown attackers broke stained glass windows at the Catholic church in Smederevo in early January 2006 and again on March 24. On April 20, the stained glass windows at the Catholic church in Kragujevac also suffered damage from attacks.

While harassment of religious minorities was generally limited to crimes against property and occasional verbal abuse, physical attacks on persons occurred in Serbia during the reporting period. On July 11, 2005, three unknown assailants stabbed a Hare Krishna in the chest while he was walking on the street late at night; according to media reports, the assailants told him he should be burned at the stake. Between July and November 2005, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were physically attacked on four separate occasions. Although the victims reported the incidents to the Belgrade police, providing video footage of one attack, the police told them it would be difficult to apprehend the perpetrators since they were minors.

In 2004, police arrested 110 persons for an attack on the Belgrade mosque in March 2004. In April 2005, one of these persons was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in connection with the attack. A trial of ten other persons indicted in the attack was ongoing at the end of the reporting period. The Serbian Government repaired the outside of the mosque but had not repaired the interior. The Government also pledged funds toward repair of other buildings on the mosque compound, but provided only a portion of the amount promised. The U.S. Embassy earmarked $60,000 for the reconstruction of the administrative building, including its school facilities and a computer center, and began work in January 2006.

In July 2005, a municipal court convicted and sentenced eight persons to spend three to five months in prison for the March 2004 burning of the Islam-Aga mosque in the southern Serbian city of Nis, the first such conviction for anti-Muslim violence from that period. Muslim leaders criticized the sentences as too lenient. Numerous police present at the court building at the time of the trial did not intervene when the defendants' followers chanted "Death to Muslims." Nis authorities provided $4,688 (300,000 dinars) toward repair of the Nis mosque. The U.S. Embassy began plans to fund the design and engineering work, estimated at $15,000 to $20,000, to build a community center at the site of the burned mosque.

Anti-sect propaganda decreased slightly in the Serbian press, which labeled smaller, multiethnic Christian churches-including Baptists, Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses-and some other smaller religious groups as "sects" and claimed they were dangerous. Religious leaders noted that instances of vandalism often occurred soon after press reports on sects. On August 18, 2005, the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti published an article attacking the Oasis Pentecostal Romany children's center in Jagodina, calling it "sectarian" since it did not perform Orthodox rites. In the article, Orthodox priests claimed the center was a "sect, since it is obvious that it is a religious organization that rebaptizes children." On September 7, Pancevacke Novine weekly in Pancevo denigrated members of the Mormon and Jehovah's Witnesses communities as "false benefactors who under a mask are offering secrets of 'the way of happiness and body' and bring their victims to complete disaster, loss of their houses and apartments, friends, family and almost sanity."

In Montenegro, the Catholic, Muslim, and Orthodox communities coexisted within the same towns and often used the same municipally owned properties to conduct worship services. Tensions continued between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Montenegrin Orthodox Church. These tensions were largely political, stemming from Montenegro's periodic drive for independence that started in 1997 and increased occasionally with the approach of the May 2006 referendum on independence. The two churches continued to contend for adherents and to make conflicting property claims, but this contention was not marked by significant violence.

The Montenegrin Institute for Protection of Monuments and Cultural Heritage accused the Serbian Orthodox Church of "counterfeiting" Montenegro's cultural heritage at several locations (Church of the Holy Trinity, Ostrog Monastery, Beska Church, etc.) by performing illegal restoration and conservation works, some of which altered the content of some ancient artwork and frescoes. The state directorate responsible for the prevention of illegal building prohibited several construction projects on church facilities run by the Serbian Orthodox Church. However, Serbian Orthodox clergymen ignored inspections several times, claiming to be solely responsible for the Serbian Orthodox church property in Montenegro. In practice, it was not clear who controlled construction and restoration of church buildings in Montenegro.

On January 6-8, 2006, at their third formal conference in Cetinje, representatives of the orthodox churches of Georgia, Ukraine, Italy, Bulgaria, and Montenegro adopted a Declaration of Unanimous Support to the Montenegrin Autocephalous Church. The Serbian Orthodox Church described the event as "the meeting of godless people."

From February 14 to 17, 2006, the Government of Montenegro organized an international convention of orthodoxy in Montenegro's historic capital, Cetinje, which was seen as an effort by the Government to restore good relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro on the eve of the May 21 referendum on independence.

In June 2005, the Serbian Orthodox Church, with the assistance of a Serbia and Montenegro army helicopter, erected a church on the peak of Mount Rumija, near the city of Bar, without a valid permit. The Serbian Orthodox Church was accused of violating a century-long tradition of good interethnic relations among the three confessions (Orthodox, Catholic, and Muslim) living in Bar. While government authorities announced the "imminent" removal of the church, no actions were taken by the end of the period covered by this report. The Serbian Orthodox Church announced that it would ask for the necessary permits to legalize the church. Serbia and Montenegro Army Chief of Staff Dragan Paskas was relieved of office for allowing the use of the helicopter.

In September 2005, a delegation of prelates from Montenegro, including the leader of the Montenegrin Orthodox Church Mihajlo, Catholic priest Don Branko Zbutega, and the previous Reis of the Montenegrin Islamic Community Idris Demirovic, paid homage to the victims of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with both republics' governments as part of its overall policy to promote human rights, and continues to promote ethnic and religious tolerance throughout Serbia and Montenegro. Embassy officials meet regularly with the leaders of religious and ethnic minorities, as well as with representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Government to promote respect for religious freedom and human rights.

During the reporting period, the embassy began projects to help the Islamic communities in Belgrade and Nis rebuild facilities that were heavily damaged from the ethnically motivated attacks of March 2004. Embassy officials worked with the Serbian religion minister, leaders of religious communities, international organizations and NGOs, and directly with President Tadic and Prime Minister Kostunica to advocate changes in the law on religion and the law on restitution of property of religious communities. The embassy also counseled religious groups to report all incidents against their property or adherents to senior government officials, to counter often lackluster response by local police. Embassy officials continued to urge senior government officials to speak out against incidents targeting ethnic minorities (including their places of worship and cemeteries) and to find and punish the perpetrators.

KOSOVO

Kosovo continued to be administered under the civil authority of the U.N. Interim Administrative Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pursuant to U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1244. UNMIK and its chief administrator, the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG), established a civil administration in 1999, following the conclusion of the NATO military campaign that forced the withdrawal of Yugoslav and Serbian forces from Kosovo. Since that time, the SRSG and UNMIK, with the assistance of the international community, have worked with local leaders to build the institutions and expertise necessary for self-government under UNSCR 1244. UNSCR 1244 also authorized an international peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) to provide a safe and secure environment.

The UNMIK-promulgated Constitutional Framework for the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) in Kosovo provides for freedom of religion, as does UNMIK Regulation 1999/24 on applicable law in Kosovo; UNMIK and the provisional institutions of self-government generally respected this right in practice. Attacks by Kosovo Albanians against Kosovo Serbs peaked following the NATO campaign in 1999, and again in March 2004, when violence perpetrated by Kosovo Albanians resulted in the deaths of 19 persons (11 Kosovo Albanians and 8 Kosovo Serbs), 954 injuries, and widespread property damage, including 30 Serbian Orthodox churches, monasteries, cemeteries and more than 900 homes.

Respect for religious freedom increased during the period covered by this report and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion. Historically, tensions between Kosovo's Albanian and Serb populations have been largely rooted in ethnic, rather than religious, bias. Roman Catholic institutions were not targets. Attacks on Orthodox religious sites significantly decreased after the March 2004 riots, although some minor vandalism occurred during the period covered by this report.

The violent events of March 2004 slowed the transfer of responsibility for the protection of Serbian Orthodox churches and other religious symbols from the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) to U.N. international police (CIVPOL) and the Kosovo Police Service (KPS). KFOR halted the process immediately following the March 2004 riots and increased the number of checkpoints near Serbian Orthodox churches, monasteries, and patrimonial sites; however, the transfer process has since continued. For example, KFOR relaxed its two fixed checkpoints on either side of the main road to Decani monastery on April 27, 2006. Kosovo leaders, with the acceptance of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), sought to address the concerns of persons displaced by the violence, reconstructed all but a handful of houses damaged, and funded and finished preliminary assessments on thirty religious sites damaged in March 2004.

The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with UNMIK, the PISG, and religious representatives in Kosovo as part of its overall policy to promote human rights. The U.S. government has contributed to the continued safekeeping of Islamic manuscripts, refurbished through U.S. government funds. After six years of international community assistance, the PISG must still fully address interethnic reconciliation and make further progress on implementing the "Standards for Kosovo," which help provide the framework for establishing a multiethnic, sustainable democratic society. In October 2005, the U.N. Security Council endorsed the U.N. secretary general's intention to begin status negotiations for Kosovo, which include discussions on the protection of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo. As a member of the Contact Group and contributor to the NATO-led Kosovo Force, the United States remains fully involved in all aspects of peacekeeping and democratization in Kosovo. The U.S. government also supports UNMIK and KFOR in their security and protection arrangements for churches and patrimonial sites. In December 2004, the SRSG and KFOR commander signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which specifies response mechanisms and cooperation between the KPS and KFOR to maintain order. Contingency plans for riot control have been revised to include an operational presence in municipalities and permanent contact among local police, UNMIK, communities, village leaders, and local authorities.

Over the course of the period covered by this report, the UNMIK police community policing initiative completed phased deployment of 350 international police officers to 30 locations in the region that are considered sites for potential return of displaced persons and those inhabited by minority communities.

Section I. Religious Demography

Kosovo has an area of approximately 4,211 square miles and a population of approximately 2 million, although the last credible census was taken in the 1980s. Islam was the predominant faith, professed by most of the majority ethnic Albanian population, the Bosniak, Gorani, and Turkish communities, and some in the Roma/Ashkali/Egyptian community, although religion was not a significant factor in public life. Religious rhetoric was largely absent from public discourse, mosque attendance was low, and public displays of conservative Islamic dress and culture were minimal. The present Serb population in Kosovo, which was estimated at 100,000 to 120,000 persons, was largely Serbian Orthodox. Approximately 3 percent of ethnic Albanians were Roman Catholic. Protestants made up less than 1 percent of the population and had thirty-six churches and small populations in most of Kosovo's cities, the largest concentration located in Kosovo's capital of Pristina. Approximately forty persons from two families in Prizren had some Jewish roots, but there were no synagogues or Jewish institutions. Estimates of atheists or those who did not practice any religion were difficult to determine and/or largely unreliable.

Foreign clergy actively practiced and proselytized. There were Muslim, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant missionaries active in Kosovo. Roman Catholic communities were concentrated around Catholic churches in Prizren and Pristina. UNMIK estimated that seventy-one faith-based or religious organizations, which listed their goals as providing humanitarian assistance or faith-based outreach, worked in Kosovo. In March, UNMIK transferred the tracking of such organizations to the Ministry of Public Services, but the ministry had not provided any new information by the end of the period covered by this report.

Section II. Status of Religious Freedom

Legal/Policy Framework

In 2001, UNMIK promulgated the Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government in Kosovo (the "Constitutional Framework"), which established the PISG and replaced the UNMIK-imposed Joint Interim Administrative Structure. Following November 2001 central elections, the 120-member Kosovo Assembly held its inaugural session in late 2001. In 2002, the Assembly selected Kosovo's first president, prime minister, and government. Kosovo's latest government was formed after the Kosovo Assembly elected Fatmir Sejdiu as Kosovo's president on February 10, 2006, and Agim Ceku as Kosovo's prime minister on March 10, 2006. UNMIK had transferred most of the authority authorized by the Constitutional Framework to the PISG, and, while it transferred some competencies to the Ministries of Justice and Interior in February 2006, UNMIK and NATO retained ultimate authority in such areas as security and protection of communities.

Kosovo's Constitutional Framework incorporates international human rights conventions and treaties, including those provisions that protect religious freedom and prohibit discrimination based on religion and ethnicity; UNMIK and the PISG generally respected this right in practice. UNMIK, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the PISG officially promote respect for religious freedom and tolerance in administering Kosovo and in carrying out programs for its reconstruction and development. UNMIK, as Kosovo's final administrative decision-maker, sought to protect religious freedom in full.

UNMIK recognizes as official holidays some, but not all, holy days of the Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox religious groups. UNMIK recognizes the major religious Orthodox and Islamic holy days of Orthodox Christmas, Eid-al-Adha, Orthodox Easter Monday, Orthodox Assumption Day, the beginning of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, and western Christmas.

There are no mandatory registration regulations with regard to religious groups; however, to purchase property or receive funding from UNMIK or other international organizations, religious organizations must register with the Ministry of Public Services as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Religious leaders have complained that they should have special status apart from that of NGOs. Protestant evangelical community representatives have complained that they cannot receive documentation proving religious or NGO status in Kosovo because the Ministry of Public Services requires that they be a documented entity for at least five years before they can be legally registered as an NGO.

In response to the complaint that religious communities should have special status other than that of NGOs, the Kosovo Prime Minister's Office established a working group to draft a law on religious freedom and the legal status of religious communities in 2003. The group consisted of representatives of the Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Islamic religious groups in Kosovo; Serbian Orthodox representatives declined to participate. Nonetheless, the working group continued to provide Serbian Orthodox representatives with drafts of the law.

On May 20, 2005, the Kosovo Assembly passed the first reading of the draft law on Religious Freedom and the Legal Status of Religious Communities in Kosovo, which would further protect the rights of religious communities and individuals.

Before the draft law's first reading in May 2005, the Islamic community and Roman Catholic leadership proposed new amendments to this draft, which included: labeling the Islamic community the "only representative" of Kosovo Muslims; establishing a ministry of religion; and exempting religious communities from paying utilities. The assembly committee did not add these provisions to the draft law. After the first reading in the Assembly, the law went back to parliamentary committee for further debate. The Islamic community lobbied local political leadership for inclusion of amendments which continue to require a minimum number of adherents before a religious group can be registered as a "special status" religion and in a "special relationship with the Government," which Protestant religious groups in Kosovo believe would pave the way for the teaching of religion in public schools. In December 2005, a group of religious leaders from the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Islamic Community, the Roman Catholic community, and the Jewish community (in Serbia), as well as working-level PISG representatives in Vienna, drafted these changes as amendments to the law, but the assembly committee did not add these elements into the law sent to the Government for approval. By the end of the period covered by this report, the Contact Group named this law among three pieces of priority legislation that the PISG is to pass in 2006. The law had not been given a second reading in the assembly at the end of the period covered by this report. The contentious provisions that met with objections from the Protestant community were excluded from the draft law approved by the Kosovo Assembly and would likely be addressed in subsequent legislation. The most recent draft law enshrined the right to believe and worship freely in Kosovo.

In April 2006, ethnic Albanian President Fatmir Sejdiu visited Decani monastery for Orthodox Easter and spoke in Serbian while conversing with the clergy, marking the first time a president of Kosovo received and accepted such an invitation. Veton Surroi, leader of Reform Party Ora (PRO), visited the SOC's Decani monastery twice during the reporting period, in an effort to hear SOC concerns pertaining to Kosovo's final status negotiations. Central and local government officials participated in a landmark interfaith conference hosted by the Pec Patriarchate from May 2 to May 4, 2006, which included a visit to the Decani monastery, a nearby mosque, and a Roman Catholic church.

Restrictions on Religious Freedom

UNMIK, the PISG, and KFOR policy and practice contributed to the generally free practice of religion; however, the Kosovo Islamic Community at times publicly alleged that Kosovo lacked genuine religious freedom, citing as examples UNMIK's refusal to provide radio frequencies for an Islamic radio station and the closing of a prayer room in the National Library by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in 2004. The same community also alleged that, although thirty-two acres of municipal land were allocated and the cornerstone was laid August 28, 2005, for a Roman Catholic cathedral in Pristina dedicated to Mother Theresa, a Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity, the Pristina Municipal Assembly refused its request to allocate space for new mosques for what the Islamic community claimed was a growing Muslim population in Pristina. Some Kosovo Muslim leaders complained that they were not consulted prior to registration of foreign Islamic NGOs with UNMIK.

Kosovo education legislation and regulation provide for a separation between religious and public spheres. In May 2005, a principal suspended a public school teacher for wearing a headscarf to class, citing a provision of Kosovo's law on education which obligates public institutions to adopt a neutral attitude towards religion when providing education. On May 29, Pristina Municipality's Department of Education dismissed the teacher, a decision the Ombudsperson's Institution supported when the investigation revealed the teacher was found to have been proselytizing during class time. A male student filed a complaint with the Ombudsperson's Institution alleging he was expelled from school for wearing a beard; school officials told the Ombudsperson Institution that the student was not expelled, but only prevented from returning to class while he wore a beard. Another case from April 2005, which was under investigation at the end of the reporting period, involved a primary school student who was dismissed from class for wearing a headscarf. A similar case resulted in a June 2004 non-binding opinion from the ombudsperson that the ministry's interpretation should only apply to school teachers and officials, not students. All parties filed petitions with the Ministry of Education and formal complaints with Kosovo's ombudsperson.

Protestants continued to report that they experience discrimination in media access, particularly by the public Radio and Television Kosovo (RTK). Protestants also reported that Decani municipality denied them permission to build a church facility on privately owned land they had purchased, citing negative reaction from local citizens, and that the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning upheld the decision. Decani municipal authorities responded that their donation of time in the shared municipal convention center afforded Protestants adequate space.

There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees in the country.

Abuses of Religious Freedom

On January 17, 2006, the SOC alleged that the Association of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) War Veterans, in cooperation with Gjakova municipality, had erected a monument honoring KLA veterans on church property. On February 2, the SOC announced that UNMIK promised, in cooperation with the PISG, to "work to protect this church property." The monument remained in place at the end of the reporting period.

Forced Religious Conversion

There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for Religious Freedom

During the period covered by this report, Kosovo political leaders- including government and political party officials- increasingly called for religious tolerance and participated in milestone interfaith events. Kosovo officials also constructively engaged in several rounds of U.N.-led negotiations this year with Serbian officials to reach agreement as part of the Kosovo status talks on ways to better protect religious and cultural heritage in Kosovo. Talks were ongoing at the end of the period covered by the report.

During a January 6, 2006, visit to the Serb residents in Pristina on Orthodox Christmas, the then-Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi said that Kosovo was not only his home, but the home of all Kosovo's residents, irrespective of ethnicity and religion.

Serbian Orthodox clergy reported constraints on freedom of movement that prohibited adherents from freely attending worship services, but reported that they themselves were able to move freely around Kosovo with little incident. On March 22, 2006, UNMIK Chief Soren Jessen-Petersen and Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu paid a visit to Rahovec municipality. In two separate meetings with members of Serb and Albanian communities, Sejdiu and Jessen-Petersen called on citizens of Rahovec to work together to achieve full human rights for all Kosovars.

On March 28, 2006, Veton Surroi convened the Communities Consultative Council in Durres, Albania, bringing together political leadership from Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo's other minority communities to openly discuss their ideas for the Kosovo status talks.

On April 19, 2006, the SRSG urged internally displaced persons (IDPs) and IDP associations to participate actively in the ongoing returns efforts. In his meeting with members of IDP associations, the SRSG said that the PISG and UNMIK, in active collaboration with IDP associations and minority groups, had revised the returns manual to ensure direct participation of IDPs themselves in decision-making processes.

One challenge facing the international community and the PISG has been reducing and preventing ethnically motivated attacks on Serbian Orthodox churches and shrines and on the Serbian Orthodox population of Kosovo. Since the riots of March 2004, during which 30 Orthodox religious sites and more than 900 homes and businesses of ethnic minorities were burned or damaged, the number of attacks on Serbian Orthodox churches has decreased. Members of the PISG and some political leaders, who made efforts to communicate with Kosovo Serbs and Serbian Orthodox officials after the riots and during the period covered by this report, continued to express a public commitment to assist in their return and the reconstruction of damaged or destroyed churches.

Prompted by the international community after the March 2004 riots, Kosovo leaders sought to address the concerns of the Serbian Orthodox Church and persons displaced by the violence and agreed to fund and cooperate with local religious officials and international experts in rebuilding the damaged property. On the basis of a Council of Europe damage assessment, the PISG allocated $5.3 million (4.2 million euros) for the initial phase of the reconstruction of churches and monasteries damaged in the March riots. The PISG completed the first phase of emergency repairs in full cooperation with the SOC during the period covered by this report.

In a May 2006 report to the UNSC, UNMIK stated that most of the criminal cases related to March 2004 riots were handled by the local judiciary: charges were pressed against 426 people, resulting in 217 convictions, 14 acquittals, 89 pending cases, and 106 cases dropped for lack of evidence. International prosecutors conducted forty-four of the most serious riot-related cases, resulting in thirteen convictions, with punishments ranging from suspended sentences to eighteen years in prison for attempted murder.

General crime statistics as reported by UNMIK on May 24, 2006, revealed a decline in potentially ethnically-motivated crimes. Compared to the seventy-two incidents recorded from January to March 2005, nineteen such cases were reported during the same time period in 2006. UNMIK police reported that of the 1,408 Kosovo Serb convoys escorted by the KPS from January to early May 2006, there were only 6 incidents of stone throwing, leading to 5 arrests by the KPS. In response to reports in the Serb media of increasing security concerns among Kosovo Serbs, UNMIK and KPS began twenty-four-hour foot patrols in majority ethnic Serb areas of Kosovo in May 2006.

On May 16, 2006, ethnic Albanian students from a secondary school in Decan municipality, accompanied by the director and four teachers, visited the Decani monastery, marking the first nonofficial visit of ethnic Albanian Kosovo residents to the monastery since the end of the conflict in 1999. Father Sava Janjic welcomed and guided the group through a tour of the site; both sides expressed positive impressions, and Father Sava told the group he would welcome more such visits in the future.

On April 14, 2006, UNMIK, for the third time, renewed a six-month protection zone for 800 hectares surrounding Decani monastery, which prevents commercial development on protected property.

The municipal assembly of Rahovec/Orahovac passed a resolution on June 19, 2006, allowing the monks of Zociste/Zocishte monastery to regularly use their church bell. Until June 19, as directed by German KFOR, the monks rang the bell only for important church holidays.

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and a large Serbian delegation traveled to Kosovo on June 26-28 to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the death of King Dusan at the Holy Archangels Monastery in Prizren, and the annual Vidovdan commemoration of the defeat of the Serbs and their allies by the Turks in the Battle of Kosovo Polje in 1389. The visit, a possible flashpoint, went without incident.

Section III. Societal Abuses and Discrimination

Ethnicity and religion were inextricably linked in Kosovo and made it difficult to determine if societal discrimination and violence were religiously or ethnically motivated. While most Kosovo Albanians identified themselves as Muslim, the designation had more of a cultural than religious connotation. Kosovo Serbs identified themselves with the SOC, which defined not only their religious but also their cultural and historical perspectives. During and after the 1999 conflict, some Serbian Orthodox leaders played a moderating political role, while others withdrew from constructive discussion. Most Kosovo Serb politicians continued their three-year boycott of participation in government institutions.

Societal violence continued and increased marginally from the last reporting period. Three high-profile killings of ethnic Serbs occurred during the reporting period: on August 27, 2005, two young men were fatally shot while driving, and a third was stabbed in March on the flashpoint bridge separating ethnic Serb majority north Mitrovica municipality from ethnic Albanian majority south Mitrovica. The first crime had not been solved, but police authorities reacted quickly to arrest suspects in the second case, one of whom was released and was awaiting trial. On May 6, 2006, Kosovo Serb media reported that unknown attackers shot at a car driven by Serbian Orthodox priest Srjdan Stankovic in Zvecan municipality; UNMIK charged an ethnic Serb Kosovo Police Service officer in connection with the incident for "brandishing a firearm." One other high profile shooting occurred at a gas station; no one had been charged for this incident by the end of the period covered by this report. Although tension between communities remained high, the prevailing crime trend continued to be against property instead of persons. In 2005, however, 57 percent of potential ethnically motivated incidents were assault and intimidation-related, not necessarily property-related offences, as in the previous reporting period. There were some reported incidents of rock-throwing and other assaults against Serbian buses and Serbian Orthodox clergy as they traveled outside of their monasteries, and monks and nuns at some monasteries reportedly did not use parts of the monasteries' properties because of concerns about safety.

Security concerns continued to affect the Serb community and also affected its freedom to worship, particularly after the March 2004 riots. Some Kosovo Serbs asserted that they were not able to travel freely to practice their faith. Father Sava Janjic of Decani monastery told USOP that, since KFOR stopped escorting non-clergy parishioners to religious sites in April 2005, he noticed a decline in attendance at services. Sava also reported that, when traveling through Kosovo, clergy transit vans were sometimes pelted with stones and verbal insults, although he and his co-religious generally traveled freely and without incident on Kosovo's main highways during the period covered by this report. Father Sava and Bishop Teodosije (Sibalic) of Lipljan both traveled with an escort to USOP on occasion without incident, including on July 1, 2005, for a Fourth of July celebration. On April 21, 2005, KFOR withdrew its last two armored vehicles from the bridge connecting majority Serb-inhabited north Mitrovica and Kosovo Albanian dominated south Mitrovica and, on April 29, 2005, opened twenty-four-hour passage on the bridge; however, following the stabbing incident near the northern side of the bridge, civilian passage was again temporarily halted. KFOR maintained a nearby presence.

Problems at Serbian Orthodox religious sites continued during the period covered by this report, such as an abundance of garbage at a cemetery near the Pec/Peja Patriarchate. Local Serb radio reported on May 12, 2006, that unknown attackers broke newly fitted doors and several new windows added to the SOC's Church of Saint Ilija, in Podujeve/Podujevo municipality, by the PISG as part of the renovation of March 2004 riot-related damage. The SOC told the media that unknown attackers vandalized the Church of the Birth of the Mother of God (Theotokos) in Obiliq/Obilic on June 19, 2006, by taking at least two crosses from the church's domes and a portion of the lead roof. This church was built in 1998, damaged in the March 2004 riots, and placed on the list of sites to be reconstructed using money from the PISG.

The Kosovo Police Service reported on June 20, 2006, that unknown attackers vandalized sixteen tombstones in a Serbian Orthodox cemetery located in the ethnic Serb majority village of Staro Gracko/Starogracke in Lipljan municipality. KFOR had reportedly cordoned off the cemetery on June 9 when visitors discovered a landmine there. Investigations were ongoing at the end of the period covered by this report. On June 21, Serb media reported that the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Andrew in Podujeve/Podujevo municipality was vandalized as well.

Many of the churches and monasteries burned in the March 2004 riots were constructed in the 14th century and are considered part of Kosovo's cultural and religious heritage. Father Sava Janjic provided a comprehensive list of religious sites destroyed or damaged between March 17 and 19, 2004. The list included thirty sites altogether in the following fourteen locations: Prizren, Rahovec, Gjakova, Skenderaj, Peja, Ferizaj, Kamenica, Shtime, Pristina, Fushe Kosove, Vushtrri, Obiliq, Mitrovica, and Podujevo.

Individual donor countries began repairs to several of the seventy-five priority cultural and religious monuments identified at the May 13, 2005, donors' conference in Paris.

In addition, problems continued with the unfinished Serbian Church of Christ the Savior (only the exterior walls stood), located on University of Pristina grounds. During the 1990s, the Serb-dominated administration in Pristina gave the land on which the church sits to the SOC. In 2003, the Pristina Municipal Assembly passed a resolution to return the land to the university. The UNMIK representative in the Pristina municipal government immediately suspended this decision. In February 2005, a Christian cross attached to the church was damaged. The SRSG recommended that Pristina authorities abandon their September proposal to convert the unfinished church into an entertainment venue, such as a movie theater or an art gallery.

In light of societal violence in Kosovo against properties owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Orthodox religious symbols, UNMIK authorities continued to provide special security measures to protect religious sites and to ensure that members of all religious groups could worship safely. KFOR deployed security contingents at religious sites throughout Kosovo to protect them from further destruction, such as that which had occurred immediately after KFOR's intervention in 1999; however, KFOR gave priority to saving persons' lives rather than property and was unable to stop the burning and destruction of many sites in March 2004. Because of improving security conditions and decreasing interethnic tensions in some areas, KFOR removed static checkpoints from most churches and religious sites, including relaxing checkpoints at Decani monastery, during the period covered by this report, relying instead on patrols by the U.N. international police (CIVPOL) and indigenous Kosovo Police Service (KPS). In most cases, such changes in security measures did not result in a change in the level of safety of, or access to, the religious sites. During the March 2004 riots, KFOR, CIVPOL, and KPS were involved in crowd control and protecting lives and property. The priority was evacuating persons over saving property, even religious property. Immediately following the March riots, the process of transfer of jurisdiction over local police stations from KFOR to CIVPOL and KPS was halted; subsequently, transfer continued, and all thirty-two jurisdictions in Kosovo were under local KPS patrol at the end of the period covered by this report.

Although Protestants previously reported a slight improvement in their situation, they reported suffering more violence and discrimination during the period covered by this report. They reported discrimination through verbal attacks and exclusion from interfaith initiatives by the religious leadership who defended their actions on the grounds that Protestants are not considered a "traditional" religion in Kosovo. They also stated that, while public television station RTK as an institution did not specifically report on the Protestant religion, some individuals within the RTK had a more positive approach. Protestants also reported slight discrimination in schools where school officials occasionally called in parents of pupils to deter their children from being Protestant. Protestants reported that a U.S. citizen pastor was beaten in Decani municipality by a young man opposed to the Protestants' building of a church there. Protestants also reported verbal local opposition to showing a Christian-based movie in villages throughout Kosovo, as well as break-ins at churches and harassment of adherents.

Roman Catholic leaders reported that they had good relations with the Muslim community but hardly any bilateral contact with the Serbian Orthodox Church leadership. Roman Catholic and Serbian Orthodox church leadership believed each other to be highly politicized. The Muslim community made similar remarks concerning their relationship with the Roman Catholic leadership and lack of relationship with the Orthodox community. On May 3, 2006, thieves stole thirteen religious paintings from a Catholic church in Letnica village, which was inhabited by ethnic Albanian and Croats. The Pec/Peja Patriarchate hosted Kosovo's first interfaith conference in two years from May 2 to 4, 2006. Participants from Islamic, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant religious communities, diplomatic liaison offices, UNMIK, and members of the PISG's central and local governance structures discussed religious freedom; visited a Roman Catholic church, a mosque, and Peja/Pec's Orthodox church, accompanied by regional municipal leadership; visited Decani monastery; and, accompanied by ethnic Albanian Decan/Decani mayor Nazmi Selmanaj, walked together to the mosque in the city center. The common statement released by the religious leaders committed the group to hold regular meetings to intensify interreligious dialogue and cooperation, to promote the returns process of all displaced persons, and to engage in the process of drafting religious freedom legislation. Norwegian Church Aid hosted the May 2006 conference to promote peace and dialogue among religious groups. The Islamic community offered to host the next meeting in October 2006.

The withdrawal of Former Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbian troops from Kosovo in 1999 and establishment of UNMIK administration through UNSCR 1244 resulted in an improved situation for the majority, largely Muslim, ethnic Albanian population, and a cessation of attacks on their mosques and religious sites.

Islamic, some local Orthodox, and Roman Catholic leaders have attempted to encourage tolerance and peace in Kosovo, in both the religious and political spheres.

Section IV. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. government discusses religious freedom issues with the U.N. Special Envoy for the Kosovo status talks, UNMIK, the PISG, and religious representatives in Kosovo as part of its overall policy to promote human rights, and has sought to promote ethnic and religious tolerance in Kosovo. U.S. officials also maintained close contacts and met regularly with religious leaders of the Serbian Orthodox, Islamic, Roman Catholic, and Protestant communities to discuss their concerns and to push for interfaith dialogue. A delegation of Serbian Orthodox officials formally visited U.S. government institutions in the United States from March 15 to 22, 2006.

U.S. officials continued to urge dialogue between members of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and ethnic Albanian members of the PISG. Officials from the United States met frequently with the heads of major religious communities. In contrast to previous reporting periods, United States Office Pristina personnel attended Serbian Orthodox holiday services. U.S. officials continued to support UNMIK and the PISG in rebuilding religious buildings damaged in the interethnic riots of March 2004. Officials from the United States met frequently with the heads of the major religious communities, provided funding to preserve Ottoman-era transcripts in the Gazi Medhmed Pasha library, and granted $1 million to UNESCO's large-scale effort to preserve cultural heritage in the country.

The United States is involved actively in UNMIK, whose goal is to secure peace, facilitate the return of the displaced, lay the foundations for democratic self-government, and foster respect for human rights regardless of ethnicity or religion.

U.S. KFOR peacekeeping troops worked to prevent ethnic and religious violence in Kosovo and guarded religious sites. U.S. KFOR was credited by local SOC officials with preventing the situation from further escalation in their sector during the March 2004 riots, and they increased their presence within the sector they patrol.

The U.S. government funded the remainder of a survey of Islamic manuscripts in Kosovo to help the local Islamic community preserve its religious heritage.

The U.S. Department of State funds a U.N. international police (CIVPOL) advisor in Pristina and provided $40 million (31.86 million euros) to support KPS and CIVPOL. KPS and CIVPOL have worked to prevent ethnic and religious violence in the country.

The U.S. Department of State provides $3.5 million in funding for returns programs for Muslim and Orthodox Roma, Orthodox Serbs, Muslim Bosnians, and other minority communities.

In the wake of the March 2004 interethnic violence, U.S. officers met with Islamic, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic authorities to discuss ways of supporting reconciliation and interfaith dialogue. Many high-level U.S. government and military officials continued to visit the country in conjunction with the final status negotiation process and meet with both political and religious leaders to assess the situation and urge reconstruction and progress toward a multiethnic Kosovo. The U.S. Office also urged the Government to reconstruct Serb homes quickly and allow UNESCO to take the lead on reconstruction of destroyed and damaged religious sites in the country.

Released on September 15, 2006

Srbija i Crna Gora (sa Kosovom)

Međunarodni izveštaj o verskim slobodama za 2006. godinu

Objavila Kanclearija za demokratiju, ljudska prava i rad

Izveštaj za Kosovo nalazi se na kraju ovog izveštaja.

Ustav i zakoni Državne Zajednice Srbije i Crne Gore dozvoljavaju slobodu veroispovesti, i, uopšte uzev, vlasti Državne zajednice poštuju ovo pravo u praksi. U Srbiji i Crnoj Gori ne postoji državna religija, ali većinska Srpska pravoslavna crkva uživa izvesnu prednost. Konstitutivne republike Državne zajednice obavljale su sve verske poslove. Ustav i zakoni Republike Crne Gore dozvoljavaju slobodu veroispovesti i generalno poštuju ovo pravo. Republika Srbija je donela diskriminacioni zakon o verama koji verske grupe dovodi u nejednak položaj. Predsednik Tadić je nagovestio da će tražiti izmenu tog zakona koji, po sadašnjoj verziji, ometa slobodno ispovedanje religije u Srbiji.

Tokom perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi, politika crnogorske vlade je nastavila da doprinosti generalno slobodnom ispovedanju religije na svojoj teritoriji. Međutim, odnos vlade prema verskim slobodama u Srbiji pogoršan je tokom ovog perioda zbog problematičnog zakona o verama.

Bilo je slučajeva diskriminacije i akata društvenog nasilja usmerenih protiv predstavnika verskih manjina u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Jevrejska zajednica u Srbiji prijavila je postojanje antisemitskih incidenata, uključujući antisemitske knjige, za vreme perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi; međutim, ukupno je bilo manje incidenata usmerenih na verske grupe nego u periodu koji je prethodio ovom izveštaju. Vođe manjinskih verskih zajednica često su prijavljivale vandalske činove, govor mržnje, fizičke napade i negativne medijske izveštaje u kojima su označeni kao „sekte”, „satanisti”, ili „devijantni”. Policijski i državni zvaničnici su preduzeli izvesne pozitivne korake reagujući na govor mržnje i vandalizam; u Srbiji se, međutim, kažnjavanje počinilaca pokazalo kao blago.

Vlada Sjedinjenih Država raspravlja o pitanjima verskih sloboda sa Državnom Zajednicom i republičkim vladama u okviru svoje ukupne politike usmerene ka unapređenju ljudskih prava. Predstavnici Ambasade redovno se sastaju sa predstavnicima etničkih i verskih manjina kao i sa predstavnicima vlasti u cilju unapređenja poštovanja verskih sloboda. Tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, predstavnici Ambasade su zastupali promene u zakonima o verama i restituciji koje bi popravile neke od diskriminatornih aspekata zakonskih propisa. Ambasada je takođe insistirala na ponovnom uspostavljanju administrativnih kancelarija islamskih zajednica u Beogradu i Nišu koje su teško oštećene u požarima marta 2004.

Odeljak I. Verska demografija

Državna Zajednica Srbija i Crna Gora (bez Kosova koje je pod upravom Ujedinjenih nacija) ima ukupnu površinu od gotovo 91.420 kvadratnih kilometara i otprilike 8.186.000 stanovnika. U zemlji preovladava srpska pravoslavna vera. Otprilike 78% stanovnika Srbije i Crne Gore su srpskopravoslavne veroispovesti, uključujući većinu etničkih Srba i Crnogoraca vernika. Muslimanska veroispovest je sledeća po veličini, otprilike 5% stanovništva, uključujući slovenske muslimane u Sandžaku, etničke Albance u Crnoj Gori i Južnoj Srbiji i Rome u čitavoj Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Rimokatolici čine oko 4% populacije i to su uglavnom etnički Mađari u Vojvodini, etnički Albanci u Crnoj Gori i etnički Hrvati u Vojvodini i Crnoj Gori. Protestanti čine oko jedan procenat stanovništva i uključuju adventiste, baptiste, pripadnike Hrišćanske reformatske crkve, hrišćane evangeliste, pripadnike Crkve Hristove i pentekostalce. Zastupljeni su takođe pripadnici Crkve svetitelja poslednjih dana (Mormonska crkva) i Jehovini svedoci. Mala jevrejska zajednica ima oko dve do dve hiljade četiristo starijih stanovnika u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Ostatak stanovništva ispoveda druge vere ili se smatra ateistima. Prema popisu za 2002. godinu, 3% građana u Srbiji izjasnilo se da nisu vernici ili su odbili da saopšte svoju versku pripadnost. Prema popisu u Crnoj Gori za 2003. godinu, gotovo 70% stanovništva su pravoslavci, 21% muslimani, a 4% katolici.

U zemlji je radilo oko stotinu stranih misionara koji pripadaju različitim religijama.

Odeljak II. Stanje verskih sloboda

Pravni/politički okvir

Ustav i zakoni Državne Zajednice Srbije i Crne Gore i Republike Crne Gore dozvoljavaju slobodu veroispovesti, i, uopšte uzev, vlade na ovom nivou poštuju ovo pravo u praksi. Međutim, zakon o verama u Srbiji, usvojen aprila 2006. godine, pravi razlike među verskim grupama i traži od manjinskih verskih grupa, uključujući vere koje su ranije priznate, da se ponovo registruju kroz invazivan i tegoban postupak da bi dobili ili zadržali status priznatih religija.

U Srbiji i Crnoj Gori ne postoji državna religija, ali Ustav Republike Crne Gore poimence spominje Srpsku pravoslavnu crkvu, Islamsku versku zajednicu i Rimokatoličku crkvu, navodeći da su ove i druge religije odvojene od države. Srpski zakon o verama priznaje sedam „tradicionalnih” verskih zajednica, a to su Srpska pravoslavna crkva, Rimokatolička crkva, Slovačka evangelistička crkva, Hrišćanska reformatska crkva, Evangelistička hrišćanska crkva, Islamska verska zajednica i Jevrejska verska zajednica. Zakon o finansijama iz 2005. godine priznaje samo ovih sedam verskih grupa i dozvoljava im poresko izuzeće, mada je zakon još bio u Ustavnom sudu na kraju perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, a ministar vera je poslao dopise nekolicini manjinskih verskih grupa navodeći da neće morati da plaćaju poreze.

Srbija ne priznaje druge pravoslavne crkve uprkos pokušajima Makedonske, Rumunske i Crnogorske pravoslavne crkve da dobije priznanje. Novi zakon o verama učvrstio je protivljenje njihovom priznavanju: član 19 propisuje da naziv verske organizacije ne može sadržati naziv ili deo naziva postojeće registrovane grupe. Na primer, nijedna grupa čiji naziv sadrži reč „pravoslavna” ili „evangelistička” ne može se registrovati pošto se one već nalaze u nazivima tradicionalnih crkava.

Srpski zakon o verama predstavlja šestu verziju nacrta zakona na kojem se dugo radilo. Prethodne verzije održavale su poseban status i povlastice sedam tradicionalnih zajednica, ali je izgledalo da je Vlada rešena da radi sa verskim zajednicama i međunarodnom zajednicom kako bi privilegije dobile i manje verske grupe. Međutim, šesta verzija je predata a da nije postojala odgovarajuća prilika za komentare. Ključni članovi zakona koje privilegije sedam tradicionalnih crkava daju već postojećim verskim zajednicama, uključujući mnoge manje protestantske crkve, neobjašnjivo su izbačeni iz teksta u poslednjem trenutku. Verske grupe i međunarodne organizacije koje su dugo radile na ovom pitanju nisu obaveštene o promenama nacrta koje su napravljene u poslednjem trenutku i nespremno su dočekale skupštinsko usvajanje i predsednički potpis na zakon. Sam predsednik Tadić je izrazio rezerve u vezi sa zakonom; spisak svojih rezervi je priložio kad je zakon potpisao i priznao da zakon nije prilagođen međunarodnim standardima.

Mnoge nevladine organizacije, verske zajednice, Organizacija za bezbednost i saradnju u Evropi (OEBS) i Venecijanska komisija Saveta Evrope u velikoj meri su kritikovali srpski zakon o verama. On priznaje „tradicionalnih” sedam verskih zajednica, dok se sve ostale verske grupe moraju ponovo registrovati pri Ministarstvu vera, koje ima diskreciono pravo u odlučivanju o odobrenju. Mnoge vere koje se sada moraju ponovo registrovati bile su zvanično priznate vere u Srbiji više od pedeset godina a na teritoriji Republike neke postoje čak i sto pedeset godina.

Registracioni propisi, koje je Savet Evrope ocenio kao invazivne, podrazumevaju podnošenje naziva, matičnih brojeva i potpisa pripadnika, dokaz da verska grupa prelazi prag od 0.001 posto odraslih građana Srbije (otprilike šezdeset pet osoba), statut grupe i kratak pregled verskog učenja, obreda, verskih ciljeva i osnovnih delatnosti, te informacije o finansijskim izvorima.

Crna Gora ne poseduje zakonske propise koji regulišu rad verskih zajednica.

Pravoslavna crkva takođe uživa povlašćen status povrh poreskog izuzeća: srpska Vlada je nastavila da prikuplja novac od poštanskih troškova za izgradnju jedne velike srpske pravoslavne crkve i subvencioniše plate srpskog pravoslavnog sveštenstva koje radi na Kosovu i van zemlje.

Vlada Srbije je zahtevala od svih verskih organizacija da podnesu godišnje finansijske izveštaje kao preduzeća. Dana 2. marta 2005. Trgovinski sud u Novom Sadu izrekao je Baptističkoj uniji Srbije novčanu kaznu u iznosu od 308 dolara (20.000 dinara) a njenom potpredsedniku Žarku Đorđeviću u iznosu od 62 dolara (4.000 dinara) što tako nisu postupili, ali su kazne ukinuli pošto Baptistička unija nije bila obaveštena o zahtevu. Godine 2004. Adventistička crkva je za isti prestup kažnjena novčano u iznosu od 633 dolara (500 eura). Godine 2005. pravni postupak je bio u toku protiv Adventističke crkve i finansijskog direktora srpske pravoslavne Raško-prizrenske eparhije zbog nepodnošenja godišnjih finansijskih izveštaja; tuženi su podneli dokumenta i oslobođeni optužbe.

Veronauka se učila u srpskim osnovnim i srednjim školama u periodu na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi. Prema propisima Vlade Srbije iz 2001. godine, učenici moraju pohađati nastavu ili jedne od sedam „tradicionalnih” verskih zajednica ili mogu izabrati da, umesto ove nastave, pohađaju časove građanskog vaspitanja. Broj učenika koji se prijavljuju za veronauku ostao je otprilike jednak broju učenika koji se prijavljuju za predmet građansko vaspitanje u periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Neki protestantski poglavari i nevladine organizacije u Srbiji i u Crnoj Gori nastavili su da izražavaju svoje primedbe u pogledu predavanja veronauke u državnim školama. U Crnoj Gori, veronauka nije uvedena kao predmet u osnovne i srednje škole.

Pravoslavni Božić i pravoslavni Uskrs državni su praznici u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Ovi praznici ne utiču negativno na ostale verske grupe.

Ograničenja verskih sloboda

Politika i praksa Vlade doprinela je generalno slobodnom ispovedanju vere. Međutim, policijsko reagovanje na vandalizam i druga društvena dela protiv verskih grupa retko se završavalo hapšenjem, optužbom ili drugačijim rešenjem incidenata. Neki državni zvaničnici nastavili su da kritikuju manjinske verske grupe kao „sekte”, „sataniste” i „devijantne”. Osim toga, državna delatnost je u Srbiji otežavala rad pravoslavnim crkvama koje Srpska pravoslavna crkva ne priznaje, uključujući Rumunsku pravoslavnu crkvu, Makedonsku pravoslavnu crkvu i Crnogorsku pravoslavnu crkvu.

Lokalne vlasti su naredile uništenje jedne rumunske pravoslavne crkve na privatnom, seoskom zemljištu (a za ovo građevinska dozvola nije potrebna) u selu Malajnici u Srbiji. Vlasti su očigledno reagovale jer lokalno sprskopravoslavno sveštenstvo nije dalo odobrenje za crkvu kao pitanje propisa i nadležnosti pravoslavne crkve. Slučaj je još bio pred Ustavnim sudom na kraju perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, a crkva još postoji. Lokalne vlasti su takođe zapretile da će troškove rušenja zgrade snositi crkva.

U oružanim snagama ne postoji vojni sveštenik. Iako su lokalni srpskopravoslavni sveštenici jedino sveštenstvo koje nudi versku službu u kapelama oružanih snaga, pripadnici oružanih snaga koji ispovedaju druge vere mogu prisustvovati verskoj službi van kasarne i značajne verske praznike provoditi sa svojim porodicama. Zbog troškova, Vojska još nije sprovela plan o poštovanju režima ishrane vojnika muslimanske veroispovesti, što bi zahtevalo odvojene kuhinje.

U Crnoj Gori, rejs Islamske zajednice primetio je da islamski zatvorenici i regrutovani vojnici teško dobijaju odgovarajuću hranu, odnosno obroke bez svinjetine.

Grad Leskovac u Srbiji ima Opštinski savet za prevenciju bolesti zavisnosti i verskih sekti. Savet je adventiste, baptiste, pentekostalce, Evangelističku crkvu, Jehovine svedoke i „sataniste” identifikovao kao sekte i protiv njih agitovao.

Napredak u vezi sa vraćanjem ranije oduzete crkvene imovine bio je ograničenog stepena u periodu na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj. Vlada je izvestila da je gotovo završen popis oduzete crkvene imovine. Kao privremena mera, nekim verskim zajednicama je dozvoljena besplatna upotreba objekata koji su im ranije oduzeti. Na kraju perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, Skupština je razmatrala nacrt zakona o restituciji crkvene imovine u Srbiji. Ovaj nacrt zakona treba da prizna zahteve za crkvenu imovinu oduzetu 1945. ili kasnije; izvesne verske grupe, posebno Jevrejska i Islamska zajednica, koje su zemlju izgubile pre 1945. godine, izrazile su protivljenje ovakvom merilu.

Islamska zajednica u Beogradu prijavila je kontinuirane teškoće u dobijanju zemljišta i dozvole vlasti za islamsko groblje u blizini grada. Verske organizacije generalno nastavljaju s prijavljivanjem poteškoća u pribavljanju dozvole lokalnih vlasti u Srbiji za izgradnju novih verskih objekata.

Crnogorski Zakon o restituciji iz 2004. crkvenu imovinu tretira jednako kao privatno vlasništvo. U Crnoj Gori, Srpska pravoslavna crkva potražuje imovinu koja čini značajan deo teritorije Republike.

Godine 2004. Vlada Crne Gore je izgradila privremenu deponiju otpadnih materija u Lovanji. Prijava koju je podneo katolički sveštenik don Branko Zbutega da Katolička crkva ima dokumenta o vlasništvu jednog dela tog zemljišta, odbačena je a protivtužba koju je protiv njega podnela crnogorska Vlada prihvaćena. Zbutega je uložio žalbu na novčanu kaznu u iznosu od 2.510 dolara (2.000 eura) koja mu je u predmetu izrečena. Sudski postupak u vezi sa vlasništvom nerešen je; Zbutega je preminuo u aprilu 2006.

Crnogorska vlada je osporila odluku Ministarstva odbrane bivše Savezne Republike Jugoslavije o prenosu vojne imovine na većinsku Srpsku pravoslavnu crkvu 2003. godine. Crnogorski zvaničnici tvrde da je prenos nelegalan pokušaj sprečavanja republičke Vlade da dobije ovu imovinu nakon raspada savezne države koja je zamenjena Državnom zajednicom Srbija i Crna Gora. Slučaj nije rešen do kraja perioda na koji se odnosi izveštaj, uglavnom zbog moratorijuma na većinu prenosa vojne imovine.

U zemlji ne postoje izveštaji o licima koja su u zatvoru ili pritvoru iz verskih razloga.

Prisilno versko preobraćanje

Nije bilo izveštaja o prisilnom verskom preobraćanju, uključujući i maloletne američke državljane koji su oteti ili nezakonito uklonjeni iz Sjedinjenih Država, ili odbijanja da se takvim državljanima dozvoli povratak u Sjedinjene Države.

Antisemitizam

Jevrejski lideri u Srbiji prijavili su kontinuirane antisemitske incidente, uključujući malotiražne antisemitske knjige i tekstove na internetu. Objavljivanje novih knjiga ili ponovno štampanje prevoda antisemitske strane literature često je dovodilo do povećanja broja dopisa kojima se izražava mržnja i drugi oblici antisemitizma. Isti ovi izvori povezali su antisemitizam sa antizapadnjaćkim i antiglbalizacijskim osećanjima, kao i sa nacionalizmom.

Dana 10. jula 2005. godine, na smederevskom glavnom trgu pojavili su se sledeći grafiti „Čuvajte se jevrejskog uticaja na vladu i privatni sektor”, „Inflaciju stvaraju Jevreji”, „Smrt cionizmu” i „Buna protiv Jevreja”, propraćeni svastikama i nacističkim sloganima. Smederevska policija je uhapsila dva osumnjičena lica i osudila ih na trideset dana zatvora za raspirivanje nacionalne, verske i rasne mržnje. Dana 11. jula, antisemitski grafiti su se pojavili na novosadskoj sinagogi; počinioci nisu identifikovani.

Antisemitski grafiti su se pojavili 3. septembra 2005. na novosadskoj sinagogi za vreme manifestacije Dani jevrejske kulture u Srbiji. U Smederevu su se antisemitski grafiti opet pojavili 5. septembra.

Dana 18. novembra 2005. godine, gost u televizijskoj emisiji „Problem” izjavio je da su Jevreji unapred znali za napade u Sjedinjenim Državama 11. septembra 2001. Gost je takođe izrekao omalovažavajuće primedbe o Jevrejima u Srbiji.

Dana 2. februara 2006. grafiti su osvanuli na spomeniku u Nišu – „Holokaust – jevrejska laž koja upravlja svetom” – uz nacionalističke sparole kao što je „Srbija Srbima”.

Napredak i pozitivan razvoj u poštovanju verskih sloboda

Prema nevladinom Centru za toleranciju i međuverske odnose, medijsko antisektaško izveštavanje unekoliko je umanjeno tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Broj napada na verske manjine je u istom periodu takođe opao.

Dok srpski zakon o verama diskriminiše manjinske verske grupe, sedam „tradicionalnih” verskih grupa koje zakon priznaje izvestilo je da se njihov status generalno poboljšao u periodu na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj. Ove grupe su novi zakon prihvatile kao korak koji je, iako nesavršen, iz njihovog ugla, pozitivan korak ka poboljšanju međuverskih odnosa.

Policija i dalje čuva beogradsku džamiju posle napada u martu 2004. Takođe je postavljeno obezbeđenje ispred beogradske sinagoge.

Odeljak III. Društvene zloupotrebe i diskriminacija

Dok su odnosi među pripadnicima različitih verskih grupa generalno dobri, bilo je nekih slučajeva diskriminacije predstavnika verskih manjina u zemlji. Verska i nacionalna pripadnost su tesno povezane u zemlji, a u nekim slučajevima teško je ustanoviti da li su uzroci diskriminacije prvenstveno verskog ili prevashodno nacionalnog karaktera. Izgleda da je veliki broj slučajeva verske diskriminacije ili uznemiravanja, u toku perioda na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj, bio više nacionalne nego verske prirode.

Manjinske verske zajednice u Srbiji i dalje se suočavaju sa problemima vandalskog uništavanja crkvenih zgrada, grobalja i drugih verskih objekata. Većina napada sastoji se u sprejom ispisanim grafitima, bacanju kamenja, cigli i flaša, i vandalskom uništavanju nadgrobnih spomenika.

Dana 5. jula 2005. nekoliko nadgrobnih spomenika na katoličkom groblju u Srpskom Itebeju pored Zrenjanina ozbiljno je oštećeno i porušeno. Dana 15. jula, nepoznati počinioci su zapalili vrata adventističke crkve u Rakovici u blizini Beograda. Dana 21. jula, polomljeni su prozori na adventističkoj crkvi u Bačkoj Palanki; slični napadi u istom mestu dogodili su se 13. i 21. avgusta. Policija je protiv grupe osumnjičenih podnela prijave zbog uništavanja imovine.

Dana 12. avgusta 2005. nepoznati počinioci su polomili prozore i ispisali grafite na adventističkoj crkvi u Sivcu. Dana 27. avgusta, polupani su prozori na regionalnom sedištu adventističke crkve u Novom Sadu. Dana 7. septembra, oskrnavljenje su desetine grobova na senčanskom katoličkom groblju u Subotici. Gradonačelnik Subotice osudio je napade.

Nepoznati napadači su polomili prozore s vitražima na katoličkoj crkvi u Smederevu početkom januara 2006. i ponovo 24. marta. Dana 20. aprila, takođe su oštećeni prozori s vitražima u napadu na katoličku crkvu u Kragujevcu.

Dok je uznemiravanje verskih manjina generalno ograničeno na napade na imovinu i povremene verbalne ispade, u Srbiji je tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi bilo fizičkih napada na osobe. Dana 11. jula 2005. trojica nepoznatih napadača nožem su izboli grudi pripadnika Hare Krišna dok je kasno noću išao ulicom; prema medijskim izveštajima, napadači su mu rekli da ga treba spaliti na lomači. Od jula do novembra 2005. pripadnici Crkve svetitelja poslednjih dana fizički su napadnuti u četiri odvojena incidenta. Mada su žrtve prijavile incidente beogradskoj policiji, a u jednom slučaju priložile video snimak, u policiji im je rečeno da će biti teško uhapsiti počinioce pošto su maloletnici.

Godine 2004. policija je uhapsila 110 osoba zbog napada na beogradsku džamiju marta 2004. Aprila 2005. jedna od ovih osoba osuđena je za ovaj napad na zatvorsku kaznu u trajanju od tri meseca. Suđenje protiv drugih deset osoba optuženih za napad nije završeno do zaključenja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Srpska Vlada je obnovila fasadu džamije ali ne i unutrašnjost. Vlada je takođe obećala sredstva za popravku drugih objekata u džamijskom kompleksu, ali je obezbedila samo deo obećanog iznosa. Ambasada Sjedinjenih Država je izdvojila 60.000 dolara za rekonstrukciju administrativne zgrade, uključujući školske objekte i kompjuterski centar, te rad započela januara 2006.

Jula 2005. opštinski sud je osudio osam osoba na zatvorske kazne u trajanju od tri do pet meseci zbog paljenja Islam-agine džamije u gradu Nišu na jugu Srbije marta 2004. godine, što je prva takva presuda za antimuslimansko nasilje iz tog perioda. Muslimanske vođe kritikovale su kazne kao previše blage. Brojna policija prisutna u zgradi suda u vreme suđenja nije intervenisala kad su pristalice optuženih uzvikivale: „Smrt muslimanima.” Niške vlasti su obezbedile 4.688 dolara (300.000 dinara) za popravku niške džamije. Ambasada Sjedinjenih Država započela je planove za finansiranje arhitektonskih i građevinskih radova, procenjenih na petnaest do dvadeset hiljada dolara, za izgradnju opštinskog centra na mestu spaljene džamije.

Smanjena je u izvesnoj meri antisektaška propaganda u srpskoj štampi, koja manje multietničke hrišćanske crkve, uključujući baptiste, adventiste i Jehovine svedoke, kao i neke druge manje verske grupe, naziva „sektama” i tvrdi da su opasne. Verski poglavari primećuju da se slučajevi vandalizma često dešavaju nakon pisanja štampe o sektama. Dana 18. avgusta 2005., beogradski dnevni list „Večernje Novosti” objavio je članak napadajući Oazu, pentekostalni romski dečji centar u Jagodini, nazivajući ga „sektaškim” pošto ne vrši pravoslavne obrede. U članku su pravoslavni sveštenici tvrdili da je centar „sekta pošto je očigledno da je to verska organizacija koja pokrštava decu”. Dana 7. septembra, nedeljnik „Pančevačke novine” u Pančevu oklevetao je pripadnike Mormonske zajednice i Jehovine svedoke kao „lažne dobrotvore koji pod maskom nude tajne ’puta sreće i tela’ i svoje žrtve dovode do potpune propasti, gubitka kuća i stanova, prijatelja, porodice i gotovo zdrave pameti”.

U Crnoj Gori, katolička, muslimanska i pravoslavna zajednica koegzistiraju u istim gradovima i često koriste iste opštinske prostorije za obavljanje verskih obreda. Tenzije i dalje postoje između Srpske pravoslavne crkve i Crnogorske pravoslavne crkve, ali su ove tenzije uglavnom političke prirode, i imaju koren u povremenoj želji Crne Gore da bude nezavisna koja se začela 1997. i povremeno jačala s približavanjem referenduma o nezavisnosti održanog maja 2006. Dve crkve nastavljaju da se bore za pristalice i spore oko imovine, ali ovaj sukob nije obeležen nasiljem.

Crnogorski Zavod za zaštitu spomenika i kulturne baštine optužio je Srpsku pravoslavnu crkvu da „krivotvori” crnogorsko kulturno nasleđe na nekoliko lokacija (crkva Svetog trojstva, manastir Ostrog, Beska crkva, itd.) tako što izvodi nezakonite restauratorske i konzervatorske radove, od kojih su neki promenili sadržaj nekih drevnih umetničkih radova i fresaka. Državna direkcija odgovorna za prevenciju nezakonite gradnje zabranila je nekoliko građevinskih projekata na crkvenim objektima kojima upravlja Srpska pravoslavna crkva. Međutim, srpsko pravoslavno sveštenstvo je u nekoliko navrata ignorisalo inspekciju, tvrdeći da su isključivo oni odgovorni za imovinu Srpske pravoslavne crkve u Crnoj Gori. U praksi, nije jasno ko kontroliše gradnju i restauraciju crkvenih zgrada u Crnoj Gori.

Od 6. do 8. januara 2006. na trećoj zvaničnoj konferenciji na Cetinju, predstavnici pravoslavnih crkava Gruzije, Ukrajine, Italije, Bugarske i Crne Gore usvojili su Deklaraciju o jednoglasnoj podršci Crnogorskoj autokefalnoj crkvi. Srpska pravoslavna crkva je događaj opisala kao „sastanak bezbožnika”.

Od 14. do 17. februara 2006. Vlada Crne Gore je organizovala međunarodnu konvenciju pravoslavlja u istorijskoj prestonici Crne Gore, Cetinju, što je viđeno kao napor Vlade da obnovi dobre odnose sa Srpskom pravoslavnom crkvom u Crnoj Gori uoči referenduma o nezavisnosti održanog 21. maja.

Juna 2005. Srpska pravoslavna crkva, uz pomoć helikoptera Vojske Srbije i Crne Gore, podigla je crkvu na vrhu planine Rumije, u blizini grada Bara, bez valjane dozvole. Srpska pravoslavna crkva je optužena za kršenje vekovne tradicije dobrih međuetničkih odnosa tri konfesije (pravoslavne, katoličke i muslimanske) koje žive u Baru. Mada su vlasti najavljivale „neminovno” uklanjanje crkve, do zaključenja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi ništa nije preduzeto. Srpska pravoslavna crkva je najavila da će tražiti neophodne dozvole za legalizaciju crkve. Načelnik Generalštaba Vojske Srbije i Crne Gore Dragan Paskaš smenjen je sa dužnosti jer je dozvolio upotrebu helikoptera.

Septembra 2005. delegacija velikodostojnika iz Crne Gore, uključujući poglavara Crnogorske pravoslavne crkve Mihajla, katoličkog sveštenika don Branka Zbutegu i bivšeg rejsa Crnogorske islamske zajednice Idrisa Demirovića, odali su poštu srebreničkim žrtvama u Bosni i Hercegovini.

Odeljak IV. Politika Vlade Sjedinjenih Država

Vlada Sjedinjenih Država raspravlja o pitanjima verskih sloboda sa vladama obeju republika u okviru svoje ukupne politike unapređenja ljudskih prava i nastavlja da promoviše nacionalnu i versku toleranciju u Srbiji i Crnoj Gori. Službenici Ambasade se redovno sastaju sa vođama verskih i etničkih manjina kao i sa predstavnicima Srpske pravoslavne crkve i Vlade da bi promovisali poštovanje slobode veroispovesti i ljudskih prava.

Tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, Ambasada je započela projekte za pomoć islamskim zajednicama u Beogradu i Nišu na rekonstrukciji objekata koji su teško oštećeni u etnički motivisanim napadima marta 2004. Zvaničnici Ambasade su radili sa srpskim ministrom vera, vođama verskih zajednica, međunarodnim organizacijama i nevladinim organizacijama, i direktno sa predsednikom Tadićem i premijerom Koštunicom zastupajući izmene zakona o verama i zakona o restituciji imovine verskih zajednica. Ambasada je takođe savetovala verske grupe da sve napade na svoju imovinu i pripadnike prijave visokim vladinim službenicima da bi se suprotstavili često neubedljivom reagovanju lokalne policije. Zvaničnici Ambasade su nastavili da podstiču visoke vladine zvaničnike da govore protiv incidenata uperenih na etničke manjine (uključujući njihove verske objekte i groblja) te da se počinioci pronađu i kazne.

KOSOVO

Kosovo je i dalje pod civilnom upravom Privremene administrativne misije Ujedinjenih nacija (UNMIK), u skladu sa Rezolucijom 1244 Saveta bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija. UNMIK na čelu sa glavnim administratorom, specijalnim izaslanikom generalnog sekretara, ustanovio je civilnu upravu 1999. godine, nakon završetka vojne kampanje NATO-a koja je primorala jugoslovenske i srpske snage da se povuku sa Kosova. Od tada, specijalni izaslanik generalnog sekretara i UNMIK, uz pomoć međunarodne zajednice, rade sa lokalnim liderima na stvaranju institucija i stručnosti potrebnih za samoupravu prema Rezoluciji 1244. Prema Rezoluciji 1244, međunarodne mirovne snage na Kosovu (KFOR) takođe su ovlašćene da obezbede sigurnu i bezbednu sredinu.

Ustavni okvir za privremene institucije samouprave na Kosovu, koji je UNMIK objavio, dozvoljava slobodu veroispovesti isto kao i UNMIK-ov Propis 1999/24 o pravu primenjivom na Kosovu, a UNMIK i privremene institucije samouprave uglavnom poštuju ovo pravo u praksi. Napadi kosovskih Albanaca na kosovske Srbe vrhunac su dostigli nakon kampanje NATO-a 1999. godine i ponovo u martu 2004. kada je nasilje koje su počinili kosovski Albanci za posledicu imalo smrt 19 osoba (11 kosovskih Albanaca i 8 kosovskih Srba), 954 povređene osobe i sveopšte uništavanje imovine, uključujući trideset srpskih pravoslavnih crkava, manastira, grobalja i više od devet stotina kuća.

Poštovanje verskih sloboda povećano je tokom perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi a politika vlade nastavlja da doprinosi generalno slobodnom ispovedanju veroispovesti. Istorijski gledano, tenzije između albanskog i srpskog stanovništva na Kosovu uglavnom su ukorenjene u etničkoj pre nego u verskoj pristrasnosti. Rimokatoličke institucije nisu bile meta napada. Napadi na pravoslavne verske objekte značajno su smanjeni posle martovskih nereda 2004. iako je bilo manjih slučajeva vandalskog ponašanja u periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi.

Nasilni događaji iz marta 2004. usporili su prenos odgovornosti za zaštitu srpskih pravoslavnih crkava i drugih verskih simbola sa KFOR-a pod vođstvom snaga NATO-a na međunarodnu policiju Ujedinjenih nacija i Kosovsku policiju. KFOR je proces zaustavio odmah nakon martovskih nereda 2004. i povećao broj kontrolnih punktova u blizini srpskih pravoslavnih crkava, manastira i objekata nasleđa; međutim, proces prenosa je od tada nastavljen. Na primer, KFOR je uklonio dva fiksna kontrolna punkta s obe strane glavnog puta ka manastiru Dečani 27. aprila 2006. Kosovski lideri, uz saglasnost Srpske pravoslavne crkve, pokušali su da reše probleme lica koja su raseljena zbog nasilja i rekonstruisali sve osim nekolicine oštećenih kuća i finansirali i završili preliminarne procene na trideset verskih objekata oštećenih u martu 2004.

Vlada Sjedinjenih Država raspravlja o pitanjima verskih sloboda sa UNMIK-om, privremenim institucijama samouprave i verskim predstavnicima na Kosovu u okviru svoje ukupne politike unapređenja ljudskih prava. Vlada Sjedinjenih Država doprinosi trajnom čuvanju islamskih rukopisa koji su obnovljeni zahvaljujući sredstvima američke vlade. Posle šest godina pomoći međunarodne zajednice, privremene institucije samouprave još moraju da se u potpunosti posvete pitanju međuetničkog pomirenja i naprave dalji napredak na primeni „Standarda za Kosovo”, koji pomažu u obezbeđivanju okvira za uspostavljanje multietničkog, održivog demokratskog društva. Oktobra 2005. Savet bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija odobrio je nameru generalnog sekretara Ujedinjenih nacija da započne pregovore o statusu Kosova, što uključuje razgovore o zaštiti kulturnog i verskog nasleđa na Kosovu. Kao član Kontakt grupe i država koja je doprinela kosovskim snagama pod vođstvom NATO-a, Sjedinjene Države su ostale potpuno uključene u sve aspekte mirovne misije i demokratizacije Kosova. Vlada Sjedinjenih Država takođe podržava UNMIK i KFOR u obezbeđenju i zaštiti crkava i objekata nasleđa. Decembra 2004. specijalni predstavnik generalnog sekretara i zapovednik KFOR-a potpisali su Memorandum o razumevanju, koji određuje mehanizme reagovanja i saradnje između Kosovske policije i KFOR-a na održavanju reda. Planovi za kontrolu nereda u nepredviđenim okolnostima revidirani su i sada uključuju operativno prisustvo u opštinama i stalni kontakt lokalne policije, UNMIK-a, zajednica, seoskih vođa i lokalnih vlasti.

Tokom perioda na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj, UNMIK-ova policijska zajednica koja kontroliše inicijativu završila je postepeno raspoređivanje trista pedeset međunarodnih policajaca na trideset lokacija u regionu koje se smatraju mestima potencijalnog povratka raseljenih lica kao i u naseljima sa manjinskim zajednicama.

Odeljak I. Verska demografija

Kosovo ima ukupnu površinu oko 10.900 kvadratnih kilometara i oko dva miliona stanovnika, mada je poslednji pouzdan popis obavljen 1980. Glavna veroispovest, koju ispoveda većina etničkog albanskog stanovništva, bošnjačka, goranska i turska zajednica kao i deo Roma, Aškalija i Egipćana, jeste islam, iako religija nije značajan faktor u javnom životu. Religiozna retorika se ne sreće u javnim govoru, posećenost džamija je mala, a javno prikazivanje konzervativne islamske odeće i kulture minimalno. Prisutno kosovsko srpsko stanovništvo, koje se procenjuje na 100.000 do 120.000 osoba, uglavnom je srpske pravoslavne vere. Otprilike tri procenta etničkih Albanaca su rimokatolici. Protestanti čine manje od jednog procenta stanovništva, ali imaju trideset šest crkava i male zajednice u većini kosovskih gradova, s tim što ih je najviše u glavnom gradu Kosova, Prištini. Oko četrdeset osoba iz dve porodice u Prizrenu imaju jevrejsko poreklo, ali ne postoje ni sinagoge niti jevrejske institucije. Procene broja ateista i onih koji ne upražnjavaju verske običaje teško se mogu odrediti i/ili su uglavnom nepouzdane.

Strano sveštenstvo aktivno obavlja službu i preobraćanje. Na Kosovu su aktivni muslimanski, pravoslavni, rimokatolički i protestantski misionari. Rimokatoličke zajednice su koncentrisane oko katoličkih crkava u Prizrenu i Prištini. UNMIK procenjuje da na Kosovu radi sedamdeset jedna verska organizacija i organizacija verskog karaktera, koje za svoj cilj navode pružanje humanitarne pomoći ili pomoć verske prirode. U martu je UNMIK preneo praćenje takvih organizacija na Ministarstvo javnih službi, ali Ministarstvo nije pružilo nikakve nove informacije do kraja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi.

Odeljak II. Stanje verskih sloboda

Pravni/politički okvir

Godine 2001. UNMIK je objavio Ustavni okvir za privremenu samoupravu na Kosovu („Ustavni okvir”), koji je ustanovio privremene institucije samouprave i zamenio Zajedničku privremenu administrativnu strukturu koju je UNMIK uveo. Nakon centralnih izbora u novembru 2001. godine, Skupština Kosova, koja broji 120 članova, održala je prvu sednicu krajem 2001. Godine 2002. Skupština je izabrala prvog predsednika Kosova, premijera i vladu. Poslednja Vlada Kosova formirana je kada je Skupština Kosova izabrala Fatmira Sejdiua za predsednika Kosova 20. februara 2006. a Agima Čekua za kosovskog premijera 10. marta 2006. UNMIK je preneo većinu ovlašćenja propisanih Ustavnim okvirom na privremene institucije samouprave, i, mada je neka ovlašćenja preneo na Ministarstvo pravde i unutrašnjih poslova u februaru 2006., UNMIK i NATO su zadržali vrhovnu nadležnost u oblastima kao što su bezbednost i zaštita zajednica.

Ustavni okvir Kosova objedinjuje međunarodne konvencije i sporazume o ljudskim pravima, uključujući one odredbe koje štite slobodu veroispovesti i zabranjuju diskriminaciju na verskoj i nacionalnoj osnovi; UNMIK i privremene institucije samouprave uglavnom poštuju ovo pravo u praksi. UNMIK, Organizacija za evropsku bezbednost i saradnju (OEBS) i privremene institucije samouprave oficijelno promovišu poštovanje verskih sloboda i toleranciju u upravljanju Kosovom i sprovođenju programa za obnovu i razvoj. UNMIK, kao telo koje donosi konačne administrativne odluke na Kosovu, nastoji da u potpunosti zaštiti verske slobode.

UNMIK kao službene praznike priznaje neke, ali ne i sve verske praznike muslimanske, rimokatoličke i pravoslavne verske zajednice. UNMIK priznaje glavne verske pravoslavne i islamske praznike kao što su pravoslavni Božić, Eid-al-Adha, pravoslavni Uskršnji ponedeljak, pravoslavno Uspenje bogorodice Marije, početak Ramazana, Eid al-Fitr i katolički Božić.

Ne postoje nikakvi specifični propisi za dozvoljavanje rada verskih grupa; međutim, da bi kupili posed ili dobili finansijska sredstva od UNMIK-a ili drugih međunarodnih organizacija, verske organizacije se moraju registrovati kao nevladine organizacije u Ministarstvu javnih službi. Verski poglavari su se žalili smatrajući da treba da imaju poseban status pored statusa nevladinih organizacija. Protestantska evangelistička zajednica se žalila da ne može dobiti dokumentaciju koja dokazuje verski status ili status nevladine organizacije na Kosovu pošto Ministarstvo javnih službi zahteva da najmanje pet godina budu dokumentovani entitet pre nego što se legalno mogu registrovati kao nevladina organizacija.

U odgovor na žalbe da verske zajednice treba da imaju poseban status pored statusa nevladinih organizacija, kabinet kosovskog premijera osnovao je radnu grupu za pripremu nacrta zakona o verskim slobodama i pravnom statusu verskih zajednica 2003. godine. Grupa se sastoji od predstavnika rimokatoličkih, protestantskih i islamskih verskih grupa na Kosovu; predstavnici srpske pravoslavne zajednice su odbili da učestvuju. I pored toga, radna grupa i nadalje dostavlja nacrte zakona predstavnicima srpske pravoslavne zajednice.

Dana 20. maja 2005. Skupština Kosova je usvojila prvu raspravu o Nacrtu zakona o verskim slobodama i pravnom statusu verskih zajednica na Kosovu, što će dalje zaštiti prava verskih zajednica i pojedinaca.

Pre prve rasprave o Nacrtu zakona maja 2005., Islamska zajednica i rimokatoličko vođstvo predložili su nove izmene ovog Nacrta koje uključuju: označavanje Islamske zajednice kao „jedinog predstavnika” kosovskih muslimana, osnivanje ministarstva vera i izuzeće verskih zajednica od plaćanja komunalnih usluga. Skupštinski odbor ove odredbe nije uneo u Nacrt zakona. Posle prve skupštinske rasprave, zakon je vraćen skupštinskom odboru na dalju raspravu. Islamska zajednica lobirala je kod lokalnog političkog rukovodstva da se uključe amandmani na osnovu kojih bi se propisao minimalni broj pristalica koji verska grupa mora imati pre nego se registruje kao vera sa „posebnim statusom” i u „posebnom odnosu sa Vladom”, za šta protestantske verske grupe veruju da će utrti put veronauci u državnim školama. Decembra 2005., grupa verskih vođa iz Srpske pravoslavne crkve, Islamske zajednice, Rimokatoličke zajednice i Jevrejske zajednice (u Srbiji), kao i predstavnici privremenih institucija samouprave na radnom nivou u Beču, uneli su ove promene kao izmene Nacrta zakona, ali skupštinski odbor nije dodao te elemente u zakon koji je poslao Vladi na odobrenje. Do kraja perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi, Kontakt grupa je navela ovaj zakon kao jedan od tri prioritetna zakona koje privremene institucije samouprave treba da donesu 2006. Zakon nije došao na drugu skupštinsku raspravu do kraja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Sporne odredbe na koje je primedbe imala Protestantska zajednica isključene su iz Nacrta zakona koji je Skupština Kosova odobrila i o njima će se verovatno raspravljati u sledećem zakonu. Najnoviji Nacrt zakona uključuje pravo na veru i slobodno ispovedanje veroispovesti na Kosovu.

Aprila 2006. etnički Albanac predsednik Fatmir Sejdiu posetio je manastir Decane na pravoslavni Uskrs i na srpskom razgovarao sa sveštenicima, što je prvi put da je predsednik Kosova dobio i prihvatio jedan ovakav poziv. Veton Suroi, vođa Reformske partije Ora posetio je manastir Srpske pravoslavne crkve Dečane u dva navrata tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi u nastojanju da se informiše o problemima Srpske pravoslavne crkve koji se odnose na pregovore o konačnom statusu Kosova. Zvaničnici centralnih i lokalnih vlasti učestvovali su u međuverskoj konferenciji koja predstavlja prekretnicu a čiji je domaćin bila Pećka patrijaršija od 2. do 4. maja 2006. i koja je uključivala posetu manastiru Dečani, obližnjoj džamiji i rimokatoličkoj crkvi.

Ograničenja verskih sloboda

Politika i praksa UNMIK-a, privremenih institucija samouprave i KFOR-a generalno su doprineli slobodi veroispovesti; međutim, Islamska zajednica Kosova povremeno javno izjavljuje da na Kosovu nema pravih verskih sloboda, navodeći kao primere odbijanje UNMIK-a da obezbedi radio-frekvencije za islamsku radio-stanicu i zatvaranje molitvene prostorije u Nacionalnoj biblioteci pri Ministarstvu za obrazovanje, nauku i tehnologiju 2004. godine. Ista zajednica takođe navodi da, iako je trideset dva jutra opštinskog zemljišta dodeljeno i kamen temeljac položen 28. avgusta 2005. za rimokatoličku katedralu u Prištini, posvećenu Majci Terezi, katoličkoj opatici albanske nacionalnosti, Skupština opštine Priština odbila je zahtev da se dodeli prostor za nove džamije u Prištini gde je, prema tvrdnjama Islamske zajednice, muslimanska populacija u porastu. Neke kosovske muslimanske vođe su se žalile da nisu konsultovane pre registracije strane islamske nevladine organizacije pri UNMIK-u.

Kosovski obrazovni zakoni i propisi obezbeđuju razdvajanje verske i javne sfere. Maja 2005. direktor škole je suspendovao nastavnicu državne škole zbog nošenja marame na nastavi, navodeći odredbu kosovskog zakona o obrazovanju koja javne institucije obavezuje na zauzimanje neutralnog stava u pogledu religije kad je u pitanju obrazovni proces. Dana 29. maja, prištinsko Opštinsko odeljenje za prosvetu nastavnici je uručilo otkaz, što je podržala i Kancelarija ombudsmana kada je istraga otkrila da se nastavnica za vreme časova bavila preobraćanjem. Jedan učenik je Kancelariji ombudsmana uložio žalbu navodeći da je iz škole izbačen zato što ima bradu; zvaničnici škole su Kancelariji ombudsmana objasnili da učenik nije izbačen već da mu je zabranjeno da prisustvuje časovima dok ima bradu. U jednom slučaju iz aprila 2005., koji je bio predmet istrage krajem perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, učenica osnovne škole je izbačena sa časa zbog nošenja marame. Sličan slučaj je u junu 2004. za posledicu imao neobavezujuće mišljenje ombudsmana da se tumačenje Ministarstva treba primeniti jedino na nastavnike ili službenike škole, a ne i učenike. Sve strane su predale peticije Ministarstvu prosvete i zvanične žalbe kosovskom ombudsmanu.

Protestanti još prijavljuju diskriminaciju u pristupu medijima, posebno kad je reč o Radio Televiziji Kosovo (RTK). Protestanti su takođe prijavili da im Opština Dečani nije dala dozvolu za izgradnju crkvenog objekta na privatnom zemljištu koje su kupili, navodeći negativnu reakciju lokalnog stanovništva i da je Ministarstvo za životnu sredinu i prostorno planiranje podržalo odluku. Opštinske vlasti iz Dečana su odgovorile da je protestantima pružen odgovarajući prostor jer su im dati termini u zajedničkom opštinskom centru.

U zemlji ne postoje izveštaji o licima koja su u zatvoru ili pritvoru iz verskih razloga.

Zloupotrebe verskih sloboda

Dana 17. januara 2006. Srpska pravoslavna crkva je navela da je Udruženje ratnih veterana Oslobodilačke vojske Kosova (OVK), u saradnji sa Opštinom Đakovica, podiglo spomenik u čast veterana OVK na crkvenom zemljištu. Dana 2. februara, Srpska pravoslavna crkva je objavila da je UNMIK obećao, u saradnji sa privremenim institucijama samouprave, da će „raditi na zaštiti ove crkvene imovine”. Spomenik nije uklonjen do kraja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi.

Prisilno versko preobraćanje

Nije bilo izveštaja o prisilnom verskom preobraćanju, uključujući i maloletne državljane Sjedinjenih Država koji su oteti ili nezakonito uklonjeni iz Sjedinjenih Država, ili odbijanja državnih vlasti da dozvole povratak takvih državljana u Sjedinjene Države.

Napredak i pozitivan razvoj u poštovanju verskih sloboda

Tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, kosovski politički lideri – uključujući državne i stranačke zvaničnike – sve više su pozivali na versku toleranciju i učestvovali u važnim međuverskim događajima. Kosovski zvaničnici su se ove godine takođe konstruktivno angažovali u nekoliko rundi pregovora pod vođstvom Ujedinjenih nacija sa srpskim zvaničnicima radi postizavanja sporazuma u okviru razgovora o statusu Kosova o poboljšanju zaštite verskog i kulturnog nasleđa na Kosovu. Krajem perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi razgovori su još bili u toku.

Za vreme posete srpskom stanovništvu u Prištini, 6. januara 2006. povodom pravoslavnog Božića, tadašnji premijer Bajram Kosumi je rekao da Kosovo nije samo njegov dom već i dom svih stanovnika Kosova bez obzira na etničku i versku pripadnost.

Srpsko pravoslavno sveštenstvo prijavilo je ograničenje slobode kretanja koje onemogućuje vernike da slobodno prisustvuju verskoj službi, ali su izvestili i da se oni sami slobodno kreću po Kosovu bez mnogo incidenata. Dana 22. marta 2006. šef UNMIK-a Soren Jesen-Petersen i predsednik Kosova Fatmir Sejdiu posetili su opštinu Orahovac. U dva odvojena sastanka sa članovima srpske i albanske zajednice, Sejdiu i Jesen-Petersen pozvali su građane Orahovca da zajedno rade na ostvarivanju punih ljudskih prava za sve građane Kosova.

Dana 28. marta 2006. Veton Suroi je sazvao Konsultativni savet zajednica u Duru, u Albaniji, da bi politička rukovodstva kosovskih Srba i ostalih kosovskih manjinskih zajednica otvoreno iznela svoje ideje u pogledu razgovora o statusu Kosova.

Dana 19. aprila 2006. specijalni predstavnik generalnog sekretara UN-a pozvao je interno raseljena lica da aktivno učestvuju u rešavanju pitanja povratka. Na sastanku sa članovima udruženja interno raseljenih lica, specijalni predstavnik je rekao da su privremene institucije samouprave i UNMIK, u aktivnoj saradnji sa udruženjima interno raseljenih lica i manjinskih grupa, revidirali uputstva za povratak kako bi osigurali direktno učešće samih interno raseljenih lica u procesu odlučivanja.

Izazov s kojim se suočavaju međunarodna zajednica i privremene institucije samouprave jeste smanjenje i sprečavanje etnički motivisanih napada na srpske pravoslavne crkve i hramove i na srpsko pravoslavno stanovništvo na Kosovu. Od martovskih nemira 2004. za vreme kojih je spaljeno ili oštećeno trideset pravoslavnih verskih objekata i preko devetsto kuća i poslovnih prostorija etničkih manjina, broj napada na srpske pravoslavne crkve se smanjio. Pripadnici privremenih institucija samouprave i neki politički lideri, koji su uložili napore da komuniciraju sa kosovskim Srbima i srpskim pravoslavnim zvaničnicima posle nemira i u periodu na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj, nastavili su da javno izražavaju obavezu da se pruži pomoć pri njihovom povratku i obnovi oštećenih ili uništenih crkava.

Na inicijativu međunarodne zajednice posle martovskih nereda 2004., kosovski lideri su nastojali da rade na problemima Srpske pravoslavne crkve i lica raseljenih zbog nasilja i dogovorili se da finansiraju i sarađuju sa lokalnim verskim zvaničnicima na obnovi oštećenih objekata. Na osnovu procene štete, koju je obavio Savet Evrope, privremene institucije samouprave su izdvojile 5.3 miliona dolara (4.2 miliona eura) za početnu fazu rekonstrukcije crkava i manastira oštećenih u martovskim nemirima. Privremene institucije samouprave su završile prvu fazu hitnih opravki u punoj saradnji sa Srpskom pravoslavnom crkvom u periodu na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj.

U izveštaju podnetom Savetu bezbednosti Ujedinjenih nacija maja 2006., UNMIK je naveo da lokalni sudovi rade na većini krivičnih predmeta u vezi sa martovskim nemirima 2004. godine: prijave su podnete protiv 426 lica, što je za posledicu imalo 217 osuda, 14 oslobađajućih presuda, 89 nerešenih predmeta i 106 predmeta koji su odbačeni usled nedostatka dokaza. Međunarodni tužioci su vodili četrdeset četiri najteža predmeta u vezi sa nemirima, od kojih su u trinaest slučajeva donete presude a počinioci osuđeni u različitoj meri, od uslovnih kazni do kazne zatvora u trajanju od osamnaest godina za pokušaj ubistva.

Opšta krivična statistika prema izveštaju UNMIK-a 24. maja 2006. otkrila je pad u broju potencijalno etnički motivisanih zločina. U poređenju sa sedamdeset dva incidenta zabeležena od januara do marta 2005., u istom periodu 2006. zabeleženo je devetnaest takvih slučajeva. Policija UNMIK-a prijavila je da je od 1.408 konvoja kosovskih Srba u pratnji Kosovske policije, od januara do početka maja 2006. bilo svega šest slučajeva kamenovanja što je u pet slučajeva dovelo do hapšenja koje je izvela Kosovska policija. U odgovor na izveštavanje srpskih medija o povećanoj zabrinutosti kosovskih Srba za bezbednosnu situaciju, UNMIK i Kosovska policija su u maju 2006. uveli dvadesetčetvoročasovne pešačke patrole u kosovskim područjima sa većinskim srpskim stanovništvom.

Dana 16. maja 2006., etnički albanski učenici srednje škole u Opštini Dečani, u pratnji direktora i četiri profesora, posetili su manastir Dečani, što je prva nezvanična poseta etničkih Albanaca koji žive na Kosovu manastiru od okončanja sukoba 1999. Otac Sava Janjić ih je dočekao i odveo u obilazak manastira; obe strane su izrazile pozitivne utiske, a otac Sava je grupi rekao da će i ubuduće rado prihvatiti takve posete.

Dana 14. aprila 2006., UNMIK je po treći put obnovio šestomesečnu zaštitnu zonu na 800 hektara u okruženju manastira Dečani, čime se sprečava komercijalizacija zaštićene imovine.

Skupština opštine Orahovac donela je 19. juna 2006. rezoluciju kojom se monasima manastira Zočište dozvoljava redovna upotreba crkvenog zvona. Do 19. juna, prema nalogu nemačkog KFOR-a, zvona su se oglašavala jedino na velike crkvene praznike.

Srpski premijer Vojislav Koštunica i velika srpska delegacija boravili su na Kosovu od 26. do 28. juna da bi prisustvovali pomenu povodom šeststo pedesete godišnjice smrti cara Dušana u manastiru Sveti arhangeli u Prizrenu, i godišnjem vidovdanskom pomenu povodom poraza Srba i njihovih saveznika od Turaka u Kosovskom boju 1389. Poseta, potencijalno opasna, protekla je bez incidenata.

Odeljak III. Društvene zloupotrebe i diskriminacija

Nacionalna i verska pripadnost je na Kosovu tesno povezana zbog čega je teško odrediti da li su društvene zloupotrebe i nasilje verski ili etnički motivisani. Iako se većina kosovskih Albanaca deklarišu kao muslimani, ovo obeležje ima više kulturnu nego versku konotaciju. Kosovski Srbi se deklarišu kao pripadnici Srpske pravoslavne crkve, što definiše ne samo njihove verske nego i kulturne i istorijske poglede. Za vreme i posle sukoba 1999. godine, neki sprski pravoslavni poglavari imali su političku ulogu posrednika, dok su se ostali povukli iz konstruktivne diskusije. Većina kosovskih srpskih političara nastavila je trogodišnji bojkot učešća u državnim institucijama.

Društveno nasilje se nastavilo i delimično povećalo od poslednjeg izveštaja. Tri etnička Srbina ubijena su u periodu na koji se izveštaj odnosi: 27. avgusta 2005. dva mladića su ubijena u vožnji a treći izboden meseca marta na potencijalno opasnom mostu koji razdvaja severni deo opštine Kosovska Mitrovica sa većinskim etničkim srpskim stanovništvom od južnog dela opštine gde su većinski etnički Albanci. Prvi zločin nije razrešen ali je u drugom slučaju policija brzo reagovala i uhapsila osumnjičene, od kojih je jedan pušten i čeka suđenje. Dana 6. maja 2006. kosovski srpski mediji su izvestili da su nepoznati napadači pucali na automobil koji je vozio srpski pravoslavni sveštenik Srđan Stanković u zvečanskoj opštini; UNMIK je podneo prijavu protiv etničkog Srbina, pripadnika Kosovske policije, u vezi sa incidentom kada je „mahao oružjem”. Još jedna ozbiljna pucnjava dogodila se na benzinskoj pumpi; do kraja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, ni protiv koga nije podneta prijava u vezi sa ovim incidentom. Iako je napetost između zajednica i dalje velika, krivična dela se uglavnom vrše protiv imovine a ne protiv ljudi. Tokom 2005. godine, međutim, 57 procenata potencijalno etnički motivisanih incidenata bilo je povezano sa napadima i zastrašivanjem, što nisu nužno prestupi vezani za imovinu, kao u izveštaju koji se odnosio na prethodni period. Prijavljeni su neki slučajevi kamenovanja i drugih napada na srpske autobuse i srpsko pravoslavno sveštenstvo dok su putovali van svojih manastira, a monasi i monahinje u nekim manastirima navodno ne koriste delove manastirskih imanja iz bezbednosnih razloga.

Bezbednosni problemi i dalje pogađaju srpsku zajednicu i, takođe, verske slobode, pogotovo posle martovskih nemira 2004. Neki kosovski Srbi su tvrdili da nisu mogli da putuju slobodno kako bi upražnjavali verske običaje. Otac Sava Janjić iz manastira Dečani saopštio je Američkoj kancelariji u Prištini da je, otkako je KFOR prestao da prati parohijane koji nisu sveštena lica do verskih objekata u aprilu 2005., primetio da su bogosluženja manje posećena. Otac Sava je takođe izvestio da su, kad putuju po Kosovu, sveštenička vozila meta kamenovanja i verbalnih napada, mada su on i njegove kolege uglavnom putovali slobodno i bez incidenata po kosovskim glavnim autoputevima u periodu na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi. I otac Sava i vladika Teodosije (Šibalić) iz Lipljana putovali su povremeno pod pratnjom do Američke kancelarije u Prištini bez incidenata, uključujući i odlazak 1. jula 2005. na proslavu Četvrtog jula. Dana 21. aprila 2005., KFOR je povukao svoja dva poslednja oklopna vozila sa mosta koji spaja severni deo opštine Kosovska Mitrovica sa većinskim etničkim srpskim stanovništvom od južnog dela opštine gde su većinski etnički Albanci, i 29. aprila 2005. otvorio most za pešake na dvadeset četiri časa; međutim, posle incidenta u kojem je izboden mladić blizu severne strane mosta, slobodan prelazak građana ponovo je privremeno zaustavljen. KFOR je i dalje prisutan u blizini mosta.

Problemi u srpskim pravoslavnim verskim objektima nastavljeni su tokom perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi, kao što je gomilanje đubreta na groblju u blizini Pećke patrijaršije. Lokalni srpski radio je objavio 12. maja 2006. da su nepoznati napadači polomili novonameštena vrata i nekoliko novih prozora na srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi svetog Ilije u opštini Podujevo, koje su postavile privremene institucije samouprave u okviru obnove objekata oštećenih u martovskim nemirima 2004. Srpska pravoslavna crkva je medije obavestila da su nepoznati napadači divljački oštetili crkvu rođenja Bogorodice u Obiliću 19. juna 2006., odnevši najmanje dva krsta iz crkvenih kupola i deo olovnog krova. Ova crkva je sagrađena 1998., a oštećena u martovskim nemirima 2004. i nalazi se na spisku objekata za obnovu koju finansiraju privremene institucije samouprave.

Dana 20. juna 2006. Kosovska policija je izvestila da su nepoznati napadači vandalski uništili šesnaest nadgrobnih spomenika na srpskom pravoslavnom groblju u selu Staro Gracko, opština Lipljan, gde živi srpsko većinsko stanovništvo. KFOR je navodno postavio kordon oko groblja 9. juna kada su posetioci tu otkrili minu. Istrage su još trajale u trenutku okončanja perioda na koji se izveštaj odnosi. Dana 21. juna, srpski mediji su izvestili da je srpska pravoslavna crkva svetog Andreje u opštini Podujevo takođe bila meta vandalskog napada.

Mnoge crkve i manastiri zapaljeni u martovskim neredima 2004. sagrađeni su u četrnaestom veku i predstavljaju deo kosovskog kulturnog i verskog nasleđa. Otac Sava Janjić napravio je iscrpan spisak verskih objekata uništenih ili oštećenih između 17. i 19. marta 2004. Spisak uključuje ukupno trideset objekata na sledećih četrnaest lokacija: Prizren, Orahovac, Đakovica, Srbica, Peć, Uroševac, Kamenica, Štimlje, Priština, Kosovo Polje, Vučitrn, Obilić, Mitrovica i Podujevo.

Pojedine zemlje donatori započele su opravku nekolicine od sedamdeset pet prioritetnih kulturnih i verskih spomenika identifikovanih na donatorskoj konferenciji u Parizu 13. maja 2005.

Pored toga, problemi i dalje postoje sa nezavršenom srpskom crkvom Hrista Spasitelja (stoje samo spoljni zidovi), koja se nalazi u krugu Univerziteta u Prištini. Devedesetih godina, prevashodno srpska administracija u Prištini dala je Srpskoj pravoslavnoj crkvi zemljište na kojem se crkva nalazi. Godine 2003. Skupština opštine Priština donela je rezoluciju kojom se zemljište vraća Univerzitetu. Predstavnik UNMIK-a u gradskoj vladi Prištine odluku je odmah suspendovao. Februara 2005. oštećen je hrišćanski krst na crkvi. Specijalni predstavnik generalnog sekretara UN-a preporučio je da prištinske vlasti odustanu od njihovog predloga iz meseca septembra da se nezavršena crkva pretvori u mesto za zabavu, poput bioskopske sale ili umetničke galerije.

U svetlu društvenog nasilja na Kosovu nad imovinom Srpske pravoslavne crkve i srpskim pravoslavnim verskim simbolima, vlasti UNMIK-a su nastavile da pružaju posebne bezbednosne mere da bi zaštitili verske objekte i da bi pripadnici svih verskih grupa bezbedno mogli da vrše bogosluženja. KFOR je razmestio bezbednosne trupe na verskim objektima širom Kosova da bi ih zaštitio od daljeg razaranja kao što je uništavanje koje se dešavalo neposredno nakon intervencije KFOR-a 1999. godine; međutim, KFOR je dao prednost spasavanju ljudskih života nad zaštitom imovine i u martu 2004. nije uspeo da zaustavi paljenje i uništavanje mnogih objekata. Zbog poboljšanih bezbednosnih uslova i smanjenih međuetničkih tenzija u nekim područjima, KFOR je uklonio kontrolne punktove iz većine crkava i verskih objekata, uključujući kontrolne punktove u manastiru Dečani, tokom perioda na koji se odnosi ovaj izveštaj, oslanjajući se umesto toga na patrole međunarodne policije Ujedinjenih nacija i lokalne policije Kosova. U većini slučajeva, takve promene bezbednosnih mera nisu uticale na nivo bezbednosti ili pristup verskim objektima. Za vreme martovskih nereda 2004., KFOR, međunarodna policija Ujedinjenih nacija i policija Kosova uzeli su učešća u kontrolisanju mase i zaštiti života i imovine. Prednost je data evakuaciji ljudi nad zaštitom svojine, čak i verske imovine. Odmah po završetku martovskih nereda, zaustavljen je proces prenosa nadležnosti nad lokalnim policijskim stanicama sa KFOR-a na međunarodnu policiju Ujedinjenih nacija i policiju Kosova; zatim je prenos nastavljen i sva trideset dva područja nadležnosti na Kosovu su bili pod patrolom lokalnih snaga Kosovske policije krajem perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi.

Mada su ranije protestanti izvestili da je njihova situacija neznatno poboljšana, prijavili su da su bili žrtve nasilja i diskriminacije u toku perioda na koji se ovaj izveštaj odnosi. Prijavljeni su slučajevi diskriminacije u vidu verbalnih napada i da ih je versko rukovodstvo isključilo iz međuverskih inicijativa koje je svoje poteze obrazložilo navodeći da protestanti ne predstavljaju «tradicionalnu» religiju na Kosovu. Takođe su naveli da su, iako državna televizijska sta