Serbian Patriarch Irinej thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for Russia’s support for Serbs in Kosovo

http://www.tanjug.rs
 BELGRADE – Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Irinej met Russian President Vladimir Putin at Kremlin, and thanked him for Russia’s support for interests of the Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija, and urged him to continue backing the unity of Serbia, Tanjug reported.

During the meeting on Thursday, Patriarch Irinej told Putin that the SPC highly appreciates his openness and fairness in resolving the issues related to the protection of Serb holy sites in Kosovo-Metohija.
Patriarch Irinej said that the Russian president has done and will do much to back Serbia, Novosti wrote.
Patriarch Irinej especially thanked Putin because Serbia was chosen for the realization of the gas pipeline project, South Stream, as that will lead to the country’s economic revival and job creation.
He also called on Putin to back the SPC’s free activities in Macedonia and Montenegro, and assist in completing final works inside St. Sava’s Cathedral in Belgrade.
“Besides God, we pin our hopes only on Russia. We do not have anything to reciprocate, but with our sincere thanks, love and prayers for our brothers, the great Russian people,” Irinej said.
The Russian president received representatives of Orthodox churches in view of celebrations of 1025 years since the Baptism of Rus’.