Wednesday, January 9, 2013


Ethnic Albanians against removal of monument

BUJANOVAC - The National Council of the Albanian national minority in Serbia condemned Wednesday the announced removal of a monument to members of the Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac located in Presevo, southern Serbia, and proposals for changes of the flag which they would use as a national minority.

The National Council of the Albanian national minority condemned the statements by Serbian officials announcing the removal of the monument in Presevo downtown, adding that such statements incite international conflicts, reads a statement from the body's extraordinary session in Bujanovac.

The Albanian National Council condemned in the statement the announced removal of the monument, changes of the Council's flag and any attempt of denial or change of the national identity of Albanians in Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac, adding that all political parties of ethnic Albanians in southern Serbia are urged to unite and take joint actions in relation to Belgrade.

Diplomatic representatives of western countries proposed, as reported by Belgrade-based daily Danas, that the Albanian National Council should adopt a proposal for the look of the flag of the Albanian national community in south Serbia in order to avoid putting up Albania's flag at rallies in southern Serbia, and in line with the law on national minorities.

The sessions of the municipal assemblies in Presevo and Bujanovac are scheduled for Friday, while a joint session of all Albanian members of the Presevo, Bujanovac, and Medvedja assemblies is scheduled for Saturday.

The monument in Presevo was erected two months ago reading the names of fallen members of the armed uprising of ethnic Albanians in southern Serbia which broke out late in 2000 immediately after the democratic opposition won the elections, and former president Slobodan Milosevic stepped down from power.

Two year later, members of this organized were amnestied.

In line with the law, the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Self-Government is not competent of erecting monuments, but it is rather local self-government that does that in keeping with the Law on Planning and Construction.

Representatives of the Serb community in Presevo claim that there were no official decisions to put up the monument.

The monument was financed by citizens and NGOs, as said by representatives of the Albanian community.

Photo Tanjug, S. Radovanovic

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