PRESS RELEASE

CROWN PRINCE SHOCKED AND STUNNED ABOUT UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF KOSOVO

Belgrade, 17 February 2008 – His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander II issued a very strong statement today about the illegal unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo.

His Royal Highness said:

I am deeply shocked and hurt and find it very painful to accept what is happened. I was yesterday in Kosovo and Metohija giving my support and love to our people.

Kosovo and Metohija is our soul, cradle of our civilisation and religion. Today I feel the world is against our people and committing a grave injustice. International law has been violated. It is not fair what has happened. The Serbian people are profoundly hurt and horrified to face the terrifying outlook in losing Kosovo and Metohija the cradle and soul of our civilization.

I strongly appeal to the international community for their friendship and understanding. I appeal to the international community to immediately continue negotiations with our government and not to abandon the Serbian people at this very critical time in our history.

Today the world has fallen in on us and I am very emotional about this. I appeal for calm and unity in the face of adversity.

I appeal that the international community provide security and protection at all times for the Serbian people throughout Kosovo and Metohija. The Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija need once again firm assurances at all times that their human rights be fully respected. Assurance is needed once again from the international community not only to provide security for the Serbian people in Kosovo, but also once again to fully protect all religious shrines and places of worship of the Serbian Orthodox Church. These religious places of our Serbian Orthodox Church suffered dramatic obliteration in the last ten years.

I appeal to that our people remain united. I appeal to the government to continue working in unison, harmony and wisdom. This is the time for unity and not division. We are stronger united.

This is the time to rally together and use all our faculties to conquer the world to explain the illegal act that has been done to the Serbian people.

We must not accept this shocking unilateral declaration. We must not give up what is rightfully ours