The permament representation of the Serbian ortodox church to European institutions: the art of (im)possible

Veselica Milan (Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu,Beograd), milan.veselica@diplomacy.bg.ac.rs

In 2004/2005, the Serbian Orthodox Church decided to establish the Permanent Representation to the European Institutions in Brussels, following the example of other European Orthodox Churches. However, although the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church’s decision to appoint a permanent representative remains in effect, the office’s activities have been largely dormant for several years. This paper analyses the potential benefits the reactivation of the Church’s representation in Brussels could bring. It particularly focuses on advocacy regarding Kosovo and Metohija and access to European funding mechanisms. Nevertheless, certain challenges are evident, primarily related to the broader political landscape on the European continent and the inter church dispute between Moscow and Constantinople. The research methodology includes an analysis of the European Commission’s annual reports on Kosovo and Metohija (compared with the U.S. State Department reports) for the period 2015 to 2024, along with other relevant EU documents. It also incorporates an interview with Archimandrite Danilo Ljubotina, the long‐standing permanent representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the European institutions. Firstly, the analysis reveals specific shortcomings in the European Commission’s reporting on the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo and Metohija, which may serve as a focus for future advocacy efforts. Secondly, the research highlights potential opportunities available to the Serbian Orthodox Church through project‐based funding. It is thus concluded that the reactivation of the Church’s representation in Brussels would yield positive outcomes for the Serbian Orthodox Church, despite its current strategy of maintaining a delicate balance.

Keywords: Serbian Orthodox Church, permanent representation, European Union, advocacy, Kosovo and Metohija, funding.