Tahiraj: The Deçan Monastery must not be turned into a pretext for hegemonic policies

Activist Saim Tahiraj said in a Facebook post that the Deçan Monastery should not be used for political purposes. According to him, Kosovo’s cultural heritage and historical truth must be protected from propaganda and political exploitation, rather than the monastery being subjected to protection imposed from abroad.

In his response, Tahiraj said that no one should support the propagandistic policy associated with this issue. He particularly criticized the actions of circles that, as he put it, undermine Kosovo’s state and national interests under the guise of Political Islam.

According to Tahiraj, Serbian chauvinist and hegemonic policies have waged an organized campaign for decades, portraying Kosovo’s religious and cultural heritage as exclusively Serbian. He assessed that the aim had been to create a political narrative around the identity and ownership of this heritage, adding that, unfortunately, this propaganda has also influenced how the issue is perceived by part of the international community.

Tahiraj stressed that Albanians, regardless of the religious affiliation of the sites, have a long history of preserving and respecting them. Regarding the Deçan Monastery, he called for consideration to also be given to the history of Albanian families who, based on evidence and a tradition passed down through generations, contributed to its construction and protection.

In this context, he mentioned the Buqaj family from Nokshiq, the Humaj family from Baballoq in Deçan, and the Demukaj family from Deçan. Tahiraj also said that the monastery was built under the supervision of the great Albanian architect Fra Vita Buqaj.

For this reason, he said, Albanians should not be portrayed as incapable of protecting their religious and cultural heritage. He emphasized that these sites have been preserved by them for centuries and that this care will continue today.

Tahiraj called on the international community to assess Kosovo without being influenced by old Greater Serbian propaganda. According to him, religious and cultural heritage must not be placed at the service of hegemonic policies or narratives aimed at distorting history.

He said the time had come for the international community not to be deceived by this propaganda and to prevent the use of religious sites for political objectives.

In his post, Tahiraj stated that Albanian tradition does not recognize the destruction of its own religious sites. On the contrary, according to him, Albanians have protected them with dedication and zeal, while they also regard the Deçan Monastery as part of a heritage that deserves respect and preservation.

In conclusion, he reiterated that the Deçan Monastery must not become a pretext for hegemonic policies. Tahiraj called for history to be studied on the basis of facts, heritage to be treated with respect, and Albanians to be trusted to preserve what they have protected for centuries.