A scheduled meeting between Serbian state representatives and the head of the Albanian National Council (KKSH) in Presheva was abruptly canceled after Serbian officials refused to attend the session due to the presence of the Albanian national flag in the meeting room.
The meeting was to include Aleksandar Martinović, head of Serbia’s Coordination Body for Presevo, Bujanoc, and Medvegja, Nenad Mitrović, acting director of the Body’s local service in Bujanoc, and Enkel Rexhepi, the head of the Albanian National Council. But instead of advancing dialogue and cooperation, the event turned into yet another example of Serbia’s persistent discomfort with Albanian national symbols.
Rexhepi, in a Facebook post, confirmed that the meeting failed solely because the Serbian officials objected to the display of the Albanian national flag, which has stood in the KKSH’s offices since its founding. “The flag is not a condition — it is representation, and it will not be removed,” wrote Rexhepi.
A Meeting Destined to Fail?
According to Rexhepi, from the very start of planning, the Coordination Body made moves that suggested the meeting was designed to fail. Initial demands from the Serbian side included holding the meeting in their own facilities in Bujanoc. Upon rejection, they proposed a so-called “neutral location” — the small hall of the local House of Culture. Such requests, Rexhepi argued, represent an intentional undermining of the KKSH, the only institution officially representing Albanians in the region.
Despite a formal agreement for the meeting to take place at the KKSH headquarters, the Coordination Body later added the demand that no flags be displayed during the event. But as Rexhepi pointed out, meetings with Serbian officials have historically taken place in these same rooms with the flag present, without incident.
The last-minute walkout, staged under the pretense of surprise at the presence of the flag, was “a staged media spectacle,” according to Rexhepi, “as disgusting as it was degrading.”
Political Intolerance on Display
This incident lays bare the ongoing ethnic and symbolic tensions in southern Serbia, particularly in the Albanian-majority municipalities of Presevo, Bujanoc, and Medvegja. While the Albanian community demands equal treatment and cultural respect, even basic forms of identity — like the display of a national symbol — remain contentious for Belgrade’s political class.
“Today's farce shows clearly the deep-seated intolerance within Serbia’s leadership,” said Rexhepi, calling the reaction by Martinović and Mitrović a “sad reflection of state-level hostility” toward ethnic Albanians.
The purpose of the meeting had been to discuss the 2023–2026 Action Plan, approved by the Serbian government, with the Coordination Body serving as the main mediator in its implementation. Rexhepi emphasized that any future discussions on the plan must occur at high-level state platforms, only after a full report is presented on the plan’s progress and measurable outcomes.
What's at Stake?
This isn't just about a flag. It's about symbolic recognition, institutional respect, and Serbia’s commitment to minority rights and international standards. The failure of this meeting highlights the fragility of ethnic relations in the region and the need for serious engagement, not performative diplomacy.
Rexhepi concluded by stating that a detailed report on the incident will be sent to international diplomatic missions in Serbia, as well as to officials in Tirana and Prishtina — underlining that the Albanian question in southern Serbia remains very much unresolved.