On December 27, 2022, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America sent a letter to the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding the ban on entry into Kosovo and Metohija to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

In his letter, Bishop Irinej once again drew Secretary Blinken's attention to the flagrant violation of basic human rights and religious freedoms of Serbs by the government of Albin Kurti. With great concern, the Bishop pointed out the way the Pristina authorities treated the Head of one of the most influential Orthodox Churches in the region during the Christmas holidays, who came with the purpose of bringing a message of peace and understanding among all people.

Bishop Irinej requested that the authorities in Washington decisively stop the intentions of the Kosovo Albanians to cause unrest during the Christmas holidays and repeat the 2004 Pogrom against the Serbian people, monastics and clergy, as well as religious and cultural monuments in Kosovo and Metohija.

Letters of similar content were sent to important officials and government institutions of the United States of America, namely, Mr. Jacob Sullivan, United States National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, as well as to the Ambassador for International Religious Freedom at the State Department; then, to the co-chairs of the Congressional Serbian Caucus, Claudia Tenney and Emmanuel Cleaver II, as well as to Congressman Gus Bilirakis, a member of the Congressional International Religious Freedom (IRF) Caucus.

Bishop Irinej also sent a letter of protest to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which is obliged to, in cooperation with the State Department, report to Congress on the state of religious freedom in the world.

Letters of protest were addressed to the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations at the United Nations, as well as to the president of the "Appeal of Conscience" Foundation in New York.

Bishop Irinej and his associates continue intensive diplomatic efforts to provide help and support to the Serbian Patriarch, our clergy, monastics and the people of Kosovo and Metohija.

Diocese of Eastern America