Serbian Orthodox Church to Gain Special Status in Kosovo as US Counters Moscow Influence

Historian Dushan Janjiq says the United States is pushing to grant the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo a special, quasi‑extraterritorial status. The aim is to reduce Moscow’s influence over the church and to strengthen ties with the Greek Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul. Janjiq describes the process as a “spiritual dialogue” already underway, involving international actors and backed by former US President Donald Trump’s decoration of the Patriarch.

According to Janjiq, the proposed model would give the church internal autonomy comparable to university autonomy, ensuring free movement for clergy and protection of church assets without breaching Kosovo law. He criticises recent Kosovo authority decisions affecting Serbian clergy as political mistakes and notes that no separate association of Serb‑majority municipalities is expected.