"We are asking Tirana to push for Albanian rights in Serbia"

Political representatives of Albanians from three municipalities in the south of Serbia asked for bigger engagement from Albanian government.

They asked the government in Tirana to push for the rights of Albanians in Serbia and to increase its presence regarding investments in Bujanovac, Medvedja and Presevo.

Saip Kamberi, the Mayor of Bujanovac, told this to the press at The Palace of Serbia in Belgrade. There he attended the session of the Coordination Body for the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.

He added that they got the confirmation that the Albanian government would, through existing institutional mechanisms, advocate for their rights.

Kamberi said that Albania should consider the option of opening up a Fund for Presevo Valley and the possibility of Kosovo investing in those three municipalities.

During a visit to the South of Serbia, Edi Rama said that the Albanians living in those three minicipalities were Serbian citizens and needed to solve their problems within Serbian institutions, said Zoran Stankovic, President of the Coordination Body.

Stankovic said that the Mayor of Presevo, Shqiprim Arifi , wasn't present at the meeting in Belgrade today because he "had obligations in Tirana".

He added that Arifi asked on July 20 that Session of the Coordination Body's Presidency be postponed. "We met his request then but today it just wasn't possible", said Stankovic.