16 March 2010.

Serbian Ministry of Kosmet has assessed as wrong the decision to withdraw KFOR units that have been securing the monument at Gazimestan, as well as that it causes doubt regarding the sincerity of the intention to preserve that monument. Several vandalism incidents aimed at destruction and desecration of Serb sanctities since 1999 provide no guarantees that the Kosmet Police Service will protect and preserve them, communicated the Serbian Ministry, while asking KFOR to reconsider its decision on the withdrawal from Gazimestan. At issue is the monument of exquisite historical and cultural importance for the Serb people, so it has been stressed that the preservation of those sanctities cannot be entrusted to those who had been destroying them. Experience shows that since 1999 the historical and cultural heritage in Kosmet, including the monuments that have been included in the world heritage, has been constantly targeted by the Albanian extremists, while the only goal of that vandalism is to erase the traces of centuries-long presence of the Serbs in the Province, pointed the Ministry of Kosmet.