Pope Leo XIV appoints Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo, Vatican News: We do not recognize independence

2025-05-20 20:52:45Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Luigi Bianco as Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia and Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo. This is reported by Vatican media, which specifies that the Holy See continues with its old policy towards official Pristina.

"The Vatican does not recognize Kosovo's independence and has in the past supported dialogue and moderation in the conflict with Serbia. The region, which is inhabited mainly by ethnic Albanians, declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Of the approximately one and a half million inhabitants, about 250,000 Kosovars belong to the Catholic Church, the majority of whom are ethnic Albanians," writes Vatican News. The Holy See emphasizes that the situation between Kosovo and Serbia has largely stabilized since the war.

"However, there have been repeated cases of violence and conflict recently, particularly in northern Kosovo, which is predominantly populated by Serbs. UNESCO considers Kosovo's Orthodox Christian cultural heritage to be under threat," reads the Vatican News report.

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