Serbia-Albania drone stunt row rumbles on
Print Edition
SERBIA’S interior minister said yesterday that Albania was “not mature enough” to join the European community, stepping up a war of words over a drone stunt that forced a Euro 2016 soccer qualifier between the Balkan nations to be abandoned.
Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic’s remarks cast further doubt on a scheduled visit by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to Belgrade next week — the first by an Albanian leader in almost 70 years.
A remote-controlled drone trailing a flag of “Greater Albania” triggered a brawl between players and a pitch invasion by home fans during the Group I qualifier in Partizan Belgrade’s stadium on Tuesday.
“Police have found the drone and will forward it for expert analysis to determine its producer and where it was purchased,” Stefanovic said in a statement.
“Statements by leaders of the Albanian government demonstrate that they knew such a provocation was being prepared.
“If Albania believes that European values are the values of so-called ‘Greater Albania’, then the Serbian Republic cannot share them by any means, and hence we believe that they are not mature enough as a state to join the European family.”
The Serbian Football Association, which also blamed the Albanians for the incidents but said would press for charges to be brought against home fans who invaded the pitch, called the drone stunt an act of terrorism.
The match was abandoned at 0-0 in the 41st minute, with the two sides blaming each other. Serbia summoned the Albanian ambassador on Wednesday and issued a formal protest.
Meanwhile, the Albanian FA said that a chunk of concrete, stones, coins and lighters were hurled at Albania’s players and officials before and during the match.
While both countries blame each other for the violence now being investigated by UEFA, Albanian Football Association President Armando Duka demanded a “complete and independent” inquiry into the events that have further poisoned relations between the countries.
An Albanian FA statement said its team bus had been pelted with stones before the qualifier, a chunk of concrete was thrown at the delegation and “coins, lighters and other objects” were hurled at players on the pitch.
Serbia’s foreign minister has called the flag stunt a “political provocation” by Albania. Albania said Serbian supporters and even police and stadium security had ramped up hostilities.
The countries have long had a turbulent relationship, centered on Serbia’s majority-Albanian former province of Kosovo, which declared independence in 2008.
UEFA has opened a formal probe against the Serbian federation over the crowd disturbances, while the Albanian FA faces charges of refusing to play and displaying an illicit banner. The case will be heard on October 23.
UEFA President Michel Platini described the scenes as “inexcusable”.
“Imagine if there had been a bomb instead of a flag on the drone,” he said.
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