TIRANA, Albania (AA) – Albania summoned Serbian Ambassador Miroljub Zoric to its Foreign Office Wednesday as relations between the two countries strained in the aftermath of a football match.
“Football should not be mixed with politics,” Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati said at a press conference.
He was referring to the Euro 2016 qualifier football match between Serbia and Albania that was held on Tuesday night in Belgrade, but had to be abandoned when a Kosovo flag was desecrated on the pitch.
The flag had been attached to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that was flying over the pitch in the stadium. It was allegedly snatched by some Serbian team supporters and players, which resulted in pandemonium on the field and the stands.
Bushati said the incident at the Partizan Stadium was “incompatible with football.”
“Albanian citizens were not allowed to enter the country at the Belgrade airport before the match. I wanted to discuss this with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, but when I got a negative response from him, the Serbian ambassador to Albania was called to the foreign ministry,” he said.
The Albanian minister put the blame of the incident on Serbian authorities.
“Football should not be mixed with politics. If there is a mistake with the proof, then it should be submitted to the court and the last word should be given by the judiciary,” he said.
Bushati also mentioned about Prime Minister Edi Rama’s visit to Belgrade on October 22.
“Albania’s European Union membership has an important role in the region and, therefore, Edi Rama’s visit should be considered in this context,” he said.
The Albania national football team returned home Wednesday morning and was welcomed by President Bujar Nishani and Albanian Football Federation President Armando Duka.
