The Serbian Orthodox Church has expressed concern over the potential consequences of a newly enforced “law on foreigners” in Kosovo, warning that it could create serious difficulties for the local Serbian community.

In a statement, the Raška–Prizren Diocese said stricter enforcement of rules governing entry, residence, and employment for individuals classified as “foreign citizens” may affect thousands of people who have long lived and worked in Serbian institutions in the region. Among those potentially impacted are teachers, students, and medical workers connected to education and healthcare systems that serve the Serb population.

Church representatives expressed particular concern about possible restrictions affecting staff and students at the University of Pristina in Kosovska Mitrovica, the largest Serbian academic center in the region. According to the diocese, if such individuals are treated as foreigners without a clear mechanism to legalize their status, it could threaten their rights to education and employment while disrupting key social institutions.

According to reports by Orthodoxia News Agency, the law, which authorities in Pristina plan to fully enforce starting March 15, may also affect clergy and monastics of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Analysts warn that the new administrative procedures could eventually complicate visits by pilgrims to Orthodox holy sites and create an atmosphere of legal uncertainty for the Serbian population in Kosovo.

The diocese called on authorities and international institutions to introduce a transition period and clear registration procedures so that residents are not placed in violation of the law due solely to technical requirements. It also stressed the importance of dialogue with the Serbian community before strict measures are implemented.

Kosovo holds special significance for the Serbian Orthodox Church, as it is home to numerous historic monasteries and churches founded during the medieval Serbian state in the 13th and 14th centuries. Several of these sites, including the Gračanica Monastery and the Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš, are listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

Researchers note that hundreds of Orthodox churches and monasteries in the region have been attacked or damaged over the past decades. Following the armed conflict of the late 1990s and during the 2004 unrest in Kosovo, dozens of Serbian religious and cultural monuments were damaged or destroyed.

The Raška–Prizren Diocese emphasized that the Church does not engage in politics but considers it its duty to speak out when the everyday safety of people, their rights to education and healthcare, and their ability to live in their homeland may be at risk. Church officials said they will continue to monitor developments and advocate for conditions that ensure normal life for all residents of the region.