A shipment of humanitarian aid intended for Albanian communities in Serbia's Preševo Valley was reportedly turned back at the Vranje customs checkpoint, according to a statement released by the Office for Albanians in Serbia.
The aid shipment was organized with the support of donors from Sweden and backed by Preševo Mayor Ardita Sinani, the statement said.
According to the organizers, all required customs documentation had been properly submitted. However, Serbian customs officials allegedly requested additional paperwork, including a cooperation memorandum, which the organizers argue is not required under existing legal procedures.
The statement further claims that even after attempts were made to resolve the issue—including signing additional documents and redirecting the shipment through Kosovo—authorities continued to introduce new administrative requirements, preventing the aid from reaching its intended recipients.
The Office for Albanians in Serbia, citing the position of the Albanian National Council, alleges that the real reason behind the blockage was not incomplete documentation but the fact that the humanitarian assistance was intended for Albanian communities in Preševo, Bujanovac, and Medveđa.
The organizations involved describe the incident as discriminatory and accuse Serbian authorities of creating unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that prevented humanitarian aid from reaching vulnerable families.
At the time of publication, Serbian authorities have not publicly responded to these allegations. Ocnal will update this story if an official statement becomes available.