Preševo municipal assembly sounds Albanian anthem

Ethnic Albanians in the south are today marking the national holiday of Albania, November 28; no incidents. A session of a local assembly in Presevo today started with the sounding of the Albanian national anthem, and a reading of a declaration to mark what is commonly known as the Flag Day. Presevo municipal assembly sounds Albanian anthem Afterwards, the Albanian state flag was placed alongside the Serbian on the town hall building. Several hundred citizens gathered in a rally to cheer the act. The declaration adopted today by the local ethnic Albanians demands from official Belgrade to allow them to legally use Albanian national symbols and celebrate Albania's national holidays. The declaration is to be sent to the Western embassies in Serbia and several NGOs, organizers said. Agencies reported earlier that members of the disbanded Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja Liberation Army (UCPMB) would organize the Presevo rally. The armed ethnic Albanian group was responsible for dozens of police and civilian deaths in the region in 2000 and 2001, before a deal brokered by the international community saw it disbanded. A local radio editor, Ardita Beluli, read out the declaration to the crowd, which speaks about November 28, 1912, when Albania declared independence. The declaration says that "some in Serbia even today try to deny Albanians their right to use national symbols." Last year, authorities explained that under the law, formation of national councils gives ethnic minorities the right to legally use national symbols. "Today in Serbia some who call themselves democrats are trying to continue with bans and to give darkness to us Albanians in this democratic era," Beluli said. The rally, which went without incidents, saw participant carry banners reading, "We want demilitarization", "Referendum 1992 plus UCPMB 2000", and, "Presevo Valley without Gendarmerie". Bujanovac also marked the holiday today, but without public displays of Albanian flags. Several were put up in front of private houses in the neighboring ethnic Albanian villages of Veliko Trnovo, Letovica and Konculj. In the town hall, citizens were able to sign a petition calling for the right to use and display Albanian national symbols. Last year, minor incidents happened on the day, and several people were consequently arrested and charged for assaulting a security guard while forcing their way into the municipal building, in a bid to replace the Serbian with an Albanian flag.

Preševo municipal assembly sounds Albanian anthem

Afterwards, the Albanian state flag was placed alongside the Serbian on the town hall building.

Several hundred citizens gathered in a rally to cheer the act.

The declaration adopted today by the local ethnic Albanians demands from official Belgrade to allow them to legally use Albanian national symbols and celebrate Albania's national holidays.

The declaration is to be sent to the Western embassies in Serbia and several NGOs, organizers said.

Agencies reported earlier that members of the disbanded Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa Liberation Army (UCPMB) would organize the Preševo rally.

The armed ethnic Albanian group was responsible for dozens of police and civilian deaths in the region in 2000 and 2001, before a deal brokered by the international community saw it disbanded.

A local radio editor, Ardita Beluli, read out the declaration to the crowd, which speaks about November 28, 1912, when Albania declared independence.

The declaration says that "some in Serbia even today try to deny Albanians their right to use national symbols."

Last year, authorities explained that under the law, formation of national councils gives ethnic minorities the right to legally use national symbols.

"Today in Serbia some who call themselves democrats are trying to continue with bans and to give darkness to us Albanians in this democratic era," Beluli said.

The rally, which went without incidents, saw participant carry banners reading, "We want demilitarization", "Referendum 1992 plus UCPMB 2000", and, "Preševo Valley without Gendarmerie".

Bujanovac also marked the holiday today, but without public displays of Albanian flags. Several were put up in front of private houses in the neighboring ethnic Albanian villages of Veliko Trnovo, Letovica and Končulj.

In the town hall, citizens were able to sign a petition calling for the right to use and display Albanian national symbols.

Last year, minor incidents happened on the day, and several people were consequently arrested and charged for assaulting a security guard while forcing their way into the municipal building, in a bid to replace the Serbian with an Albanian flag.