Ethnic Albanians protest in Bujanovac, demand end to discrimination

According to the Bujanovacke portal, the protestors called on the international community to pressure Serbia into meeting their demands and announced plans for further demonstrations.

“Belgrade's government ignores our rights, refuses to recognize our diplomas, passivizes our residency status, and won’t integrate us," said MP Saip Kamberi.

He added that the Serbian authorities are undermining the core values of the European Union, which mediated three agreements since 2001.

Albanian National Council leader Nevzad Lutfiu said that Albanians are the most discriminated community in Europe.

“Among the 24 national minorities in Serbia, Albanians are in the worst position. We will not stay silent, the protests will continue, not because we want to, but because we have no choice,” he said.

The protest came two weeks after a change in local government in Bujanovac and the shift to opposition by a coalition of ethnic Albanian parties.

Protesters in Bujanovac waved flags of Albania and the US and carried banners demanding “Stop to passivization” and “We want textbooks in Albanian,” while the event began with the national anthem of Albania and a minute of silence for the fallen members of the Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac.

At the end of the rally a declaration was read, calling on the Belgrade authorities to implement and honor the three agreements signed between the Serbian government and ethnic Albanian representatives, with particular emphasis on the 2013 7-Point Plan for the ethnic Albanians’ integration.

The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported.