Serbian Patriarch Porfirije was turned back at the Merdare administrative border crossing with Kosovo on Monday. Head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Petar Petkovic said this shows that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s violence against the Serbian people has reached unprecedented proportions.

Following a routine control on the Serbian side of the administrative crossing Patriarch Porfirije’s car was pulled over on the Kosovo side, and the passengers were told “to wait,” the Serbian state TV (RTS) reported.

Following a 40-minute wait, Patriarch Porfirije was denied entry into Kosovo, and the information was confirmed by Petkovic.

The Pristina authorities banned Patriarch Porfirije on Sunday from going to the Patriarchate of Pec, Kosovo, ahead of the upcoming Orthodox Christmas.