A rally “For Serbian Kosovo” in Bialystok

February 2013 – Poland

On 26 February in Bialystok was a day of solidarity with Orthodox Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo is now occupied by Albanians who, five years ago, pronounced the independence of Kosovo trying to tear it away from Serbia and create new Albania.

The day started with a liturgy and prayers for the persecuted Orthodox people from Kosovo and Metohija.

Then a rally to support Serbians started. It was organized by The Fellowship of Three Saint Hierarchs, led by Mr Slavomir Nazaruk. The rally took place on the main square in Bialystok. At the beginning the organizers worried that not many people would come. But at 4 o’clock sharp, when the rally started, a crowd of people came to the square. Around 150 people attended the meeting, which lasted about an hour. There were representatives of the church and local government as well as journalists from Soyuz TV, Radio Racyja and Radio Bialystok as well as Przegląd Prawoslawny Magazine and Kurier Poranny newspaper.

To begin with, the organizers played hymns of Poland and Serbia. Then, Mr Slavomir Nazaruk told the gathered people about the situation in Serbia. He informed the demonstrants about tragic events in Serbia which followed WWII: terrorist attacks of Albanians on Serbs from Kosovo, banishment (starting from 1990 around 200 Serbs were banished from Kosovo), murders, destroying of Orthodox churches, desecration of graveyards and destroying monuments of Serbian heroes who fought for freedom.

Mr Nazaruk reminded us that Serbs are people who always loved freedom and had to fight for it many times. First, they were fighting Turkish occupation which lasted over 500 years, then they fought Hitler’s occupation, which was followed by the tragic 90’s that brought several civil wars in Jugoslavia, lastly NATO’s unlawful bombardments in Serbia and massacre of Serbs who were killed by Albanian terrorists. How much important is Kosovo and Metohia to Serbs? It is like London for English people, Washington D.C. for the Americans. It is Polish Gniezno and Cracov (first capitals and cultural centers of Poland) or Czestochowa (The most important place for Polish Roman Catholics). In Kosovo and Metohija there are several historic monasteries (the name Metohija means the place which is the destination of pilgrimages and it is the headquaters of the Pec Patriarchate). Mr Nazaruk finished his speech saying: Poland, which was troubled many times by other countries, was losing it’s integrity several times. The country suffered before and after the Great War and WWII. That is why Polish citizens cannot ignore the plight of Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. (…) It is unfair that a Christian, Slavic Serbian Nation, that has so much in common with Polish nation, has to suffer once again only because of the policy of European countries. That is why Citizens of Podlasie and Poland stand against this situation! God is not in power, but in truth! We want to express solidarity with our Serbian brothers. Serbian Kosovo forever!

After the speech a popular Serbian patriotic song (Tamo Daleko) from the Great War was played. Serbian People know this song from infancy. The participants of the rally had leaflets with Serbian and Polish version of the song to follow the song and understand its importance.

Subsequently, Mr Rafal Jurowiec spoke about ethymology of the name Kosovo and Metohija. He also mentioned the fight of Serbs against Nazis – Germans, Italians, Chorvats and Albanians. It is after those fights that Kosovo was first granted to Albanians, to signify the fall of Serbs. After WWII Kosovo was returned to Serbia thanks to an unprecedented decision of the Western Countries. Lately, those same countries allowed Albanians to create independent Kosovo, which is de facto a second Albania! They did it despite the international law which states that each nation has the right to have one country. This decidsion was followed by the tragic events of 2004 – the massacre of Serbs. Finally, the events of 2013 showed the drop of security in Kosovo, which is at its lowest since 9 years ago. Several churches have been burgled and graveyards were desecrated. Moreover, despite the presence of international KFOR troops, Albanians were trying to overtake numerous monasteries in the region.

Mr Vladan Stamenković who works for Serbian embassy in Poland spoke on behalf of Serbs. Mr Stamenković is a writer and a translator and, like the author of this report, he came to Bialystok from Warsaw to be with his Orthodox brothers on this important occassion. He thanked all the participants of the rally and reiterated how important Kosovo is. Whose words can be more trusted?

Subsequently, Mr Nazaruk expressed the manifesto of the rally participants. The document condemns all the acts of terror on Serbs that took place in Kosovo and Metohija. It also calls the Polish government and media to: Undertake action aiming at providing security and peace of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. To protect the 1000 year old heritage of Serbs. Helping Serbs in all aspects of their lives and enabling them returning to their homes. After that, three pigeons were released to symbolize peace that is so important to Serbs.

Finally, the male choir of Bogdan Onisimowicz sang Tamo Daleko which was a very touching moment to all Serbs. After that everyone released balloons in national colours of Serbia.

After an hour long break, shortly after 6p.m the rally was continued in Orthodox Community Center. First, a hymn of Serbia Bože pravde (Just God) was played. The participants could listen to three choirs: The Parish choir of St John the Theologian Parish in Bialystok and the male choir from the same parish, and, again, the Male Choir of Bogdan Onisimowicz.

We could hear, among others, Wiecznaja pamiat’ (composed by a Serbian composer Mokranjac) – in commemoration of all the Serbs murdered in Kosovo.
Then, Mnogaja ljeta for the Serbian people, especially those living in Kosovo and Metohija and a Balkan folk song Jovano, Jovanke.

After that a russian movie depicting situation of Kosovo was played.
Then, Mr Vladan Stamenković told us about history of Kosovo and centuries long attempts at forcible converting Serbs into Islam. The meeting ended with a discussion about the situation of Serbs in Kosovo. We hope that the participants were full of reflective thoughts on their way back homes and they would want to help the Serbs in the future, with their prayers and support.

On the behalf of Serbs living in Poland I would like to thank all the participants of the rally, especially the organizers, for help and support. I would like to thank people who created the leaflets and banners and decorated the room in Centre of Orthodox Culture. The biggest thanks are for the main organizer of the event, Mr Slavomir Nazaruk, who overlooked everything with great attention to detail and dedication and was the good spirit of the event. All those people really supported Serbs.

Kosovo je Srbija – Kosowo is Serbia!

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