Albanians try to take down Serbian flag

Almost simultaneously, Albanians protested in front of the Serbian embassy buildings in Belgium and Macedonia against the burning of the Albanian flag. Serbian soccer hooligans burned the Albanian flag during the soccer match in Genoa this week. Albanians try to take down Serbian flag In Brussels, the incident took place when about 20 people tried to take down the flag and break into the embassy building. Serbian ambassador Radomir Diklic told B92 TV that the incident involved young people who, carrying the flags of Kosovo and Albania, broke into the Serbian embassy courtyard. "The guard on duty reacted well and called the police immediately. As soon as the protesters heard police sirens they leaped back over the fence, picked up their flags and then scattered around the nearby streets and parks. These were mostly younger people, a number had the ski masks covering their faces, there were two or three young women, too. They banged the door until the caretaker started unlocking it and then fled, " Diklic said. "The police came very quickly and in large numbers. We gave them a description how these people looked like, of the flags they were carrying, and the police patrols went to the surrounding streets in an attempt to find them. We could not give an exact description of the protesters since we did not really have a chance to see them up close. The competent authorities promised additional protection, and the situation is now under control, " Diklic said. At the same time, hundreds of ethnic Albanians demonstrated in front of the Serbian embassy in Skopje. The protesters, who played soccer in front of the embassy, requested an apology for Serbian fans’ burning the flag of Albania in Genoa on Tuesday night. Representative of NGO "Wake up" Ismail Krivca said the protest was staged in defense of the Albanian flag, which Serbian hooligans had burned from political and anti-Albanian motives. "We gathered in front of the Serbian embassy in order to send a message that Albanians will not allow their symbols and national dignity attacked", said Krivca. He said that seven million Albanians in the region share the same values and demanded that Serbia apologized for the tragic event, condemned worldwide. "By burning the Albanian flag, the symbols of the EU and NATO were also set on fire and with them chances that Serbia should join the Union of Civilized States”, Krivca said during the protest. On the subject of Albanian protests in Skopje, President of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia Ivan Stojiljkovic asked Macedonian Serbs not to succumb to provocations, reminding this was not the way to achieve political goals. "Such events, regardless who caused them, should not be used to achieve any political goals because that would mean provoking new incidents and inappropriate behavior," Stojiljkovic said, adding that it would only endanger the political dialogue. He stressed that the preservation of peace is equally important to both Serbs and Albanians, but also for the region as a whole. In recent days, Albanians protested both in Tirana and Pristina. In Tirana, Serbian flags were burned on two occasions during the past week. The Skopje protest (B92)

Albanians try to take down Serbian flag

In Brussels, the incident took place when about 20 people tried to take down the flag and break into the embassy building.

Serbian ambassador Radomir Diklić told B92 TV that the incident involved young people who, carrying the flags of Kosovo and Albania, broke into the Serbian embassy courtyard.

"The guard on duty reacted well and called the police immediately. As soon as the protesters heard police sirens they leaped back over the fence, picked up their flags and then scattered around the nearby streets and parks. These were mostly younger people, a number had the ski masks covering their faces, there were two or three young women, too. They banged the door until the caretaker started unlocking it and then fled, " Diklić said.

"The police came very quickly and in large numbers. We gave them a description how these people looked like, of the flags they were carrying, and the police patrols went to the surrounding streets in an attempt to find them. We could not give an exact description of the protesters since we did not really have a chance to see them up close. The competent authorities promised additional protection, and the situation is now under control, " Diklić said.

At the same time, hundreds of ethnic Albanians demonstrated in front of the Serbian embassy in Skopje. The protesters, who played soccer in front of the embassy, requested an apology for Serbian fans’ burning the flag of Albania in Genoa on Tuesday night.

Representative of NGO "Wake up" Ismail Krivca said the protest was staged in defense of the Albanian flag, which Serbian hooligans had burned from political and anti-Albanian motives.

"We gathered in front of the Serbian embassy in order to send a message that Albanians will not allow their symbols and national dignity attacked", said Krivca.

He said that seven million Albanians in the region share the same values and demanded that Serbia apologized for the tragic event, condemned worldwide.

"By burning the Albanian flag, the symbols of the EU and NATO were also set on fire and with them chances that Serbia should join the Union of Civilized States”, Krivca said during the protest.

On the subject of Albanian protests in Skopje, President of the Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia Ivan Stojiljković asked Macedonian Serbs not to succumb to provocations, reminding this was not the way to achieve political goals.

"Such events, regardless who caused them, should not be used to achieve any political goals because that would mean provoking new incidents and inappropriate behavior," Stojiljković said, adding that it would only endanger the political dialogue.

He stressed that the preservation of peace is equally important to both Serbs and Albanians, but also for the region as a whole.

In recent days, Albanians protested both in Tirana and Priština. In Tirana, Serbian flags were burned on two occasions during the past week.