Eurasia Press & News
Serbian President Boris Tadić has spent the night in the Serbian Orthodox monastery of Visoki Dečani, in Kosovo.
He was attending Christmas Eve celebrations there along with the monks and several hundred Serbs.
Tadić will also attend Holy Liturgy at the monastery this Christmas Day, which Orthodox Serbs celebrate according to the Julian calendar.
The Serbian President arrived to the 14th-century monastery on Wednesday afternoon, to send a message of peace “to all people”.
In the nearby village of Dečani, several hundred ethnic Albanians protested against the visit and blocked the road leading to the monastery.
They approached a KFOR checkpoint, manned by Italian soldiers who also provide security for the shrine.
The protesters managed to prevented people who wished to attend Christmas Eve and Christmas liturgies at the monastery from reaching their destination.
The surrounding area was peaceful.
According to the monks, KFOR representatives told them the road from the monastery to the village would be unblocked for a short while, but also informed them that the organizers of the protest of ethnic Albanians were planning another gathering and road blockade for Wednesday night.
At the same time, reporters covering Tadić’s visit were unable to reach their offices and send reports.
