BELGRADE BELGRADE, Dec 26 (Hina) - An incident which happened on Christmas Eve in front of the offices of the head of the Serb Orthodox Church in Belgrade, when some 50 citizens, mostly young men, who carried candles and Orthodox
icons, prevented an Anglican service which was to be held in the offices, is a unique case in the world, British Ambassador to Belgrade Charles Crawford said in an interview published in Belgrade's daily "Blic" on Thursday.
BELGRADE, Dec 26 (Hina) - An incident which happened on Christmas
Eve in front of the offices of the head of the Serb Orthodox Church
in Belgrade, when some 50 citizens, mostly young men, who carried
candles and Orthodox icons, prevented an Anglican service which was
to be held in the offices, is a unique case in the world, British
Ambassador to Belgrade Charles Crawford said in an interview
published in Belgrade's daily "Blic" on Thursday. #L#
A group of men prevented members of the diplomatic corps and
citizens from entering the office, where the mass was to be held.
They dispersed only after Metropolitan Amfilohije asked them to do
so, by which time an Anglican priest had already left the offices.
The British Ambassador said the incident would not be hushed up,
forgotten or ignored that easily, but that it would have an
extremely negative effect on Serbia's reputation.
The incident was condemned by top state officials, Yugoslav
President who said that "the state, people and the Serb Orthodox
Church were disgraced" and Yugoslav minister in charge of national
and ethnic communities Rasim Ljajic who said he would request that
the state prosecutor punish the protesters.
The incident was also condemned by the Serb Orthodox Church and
Patriarch Pavle. Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic and
the chairman of the council of the people's federal parliament,
Dragoljub Micunovic have sent their personal apologies to the
British Ambassador who attended the service at which the incident
took place.
(hina) it