After Serbia banned its visit to Presevo Valley, Svechla reacts: We Will Act With reciprocity

In his reaction, the interior minister said his visit's refusal testifies to Belgrade's official destructive approach to the municipality Albanians.

This refusal without any reasoning from Serbia hours before the implementation of the visit does not diminish our goals and commitment for the Albanians in the Valley”, Svechla said.

Svechla's full response:

By December 29th, I accepted an invitation from Mr. Nevzad Lutfiu, chairman of the Albanian National Council for a visit to Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanoc. According to the agenda, meetings were planned at the Council headquarters in three municipalities, as well as the only Albanian MP in Serbia's Parliament, Shaip Kamberi. I have been happy to accept the invitation and to start preparing.

In respect of the Brussels Agreement and the practice thus far, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora we have been following the agenda and the delegation's necessary information in Serbia's liaison office for permission to enter Serbia and make the visit happen. Last night in the late hours, by our liaison official in Belgrade, I have announced that our request for today's visit to the Valley has been rejected by the authorities of Serbia without any explanation.

This act of Serbia towards my visit testifies to its destructive approach and continued printing of the Valley Albanians. This refusal without any reasoning from Serbia hours before the implementation of the visit did not diminish our goals and commitment for the Valley Albanians.

Among other things, it will not diminish even my desire and purpose for the realisation of the visit there, to share concerns and injustices that they face and the commitments of our Republic institutions for them.

On the matter of visiting state officials, we will act on the principles of reciprocity as the value of equality between our two states.