Aid for Albanians in the Presheva Valley stopped in Vranje, Serbian authorities accused

A shipment of humanitarian aid intended for Albanians in the Presheva Valley was turned back at the Vranje customs point, according to a statement made public by the Office for Albanians in Serbia.

The statement says the aid had been dispatched with the support of donors from Sweden and with the backing of Presheva Municipality Mayor Ardita Sinani. The organizers claim that all the required documents were in order, but customs officers also asked for additional paperwork, including a memorandum of cooperation, which they consider a request outside the legal framework.

According to the same statement, even after attempts were made to resolve the situation by signing additional documents and redirecting the aid toward Kosovo, the authorities continued to impose other administrative obstacles.

The Office for Albanians in Serbia, also referring to the position of the Albanian National Council, claims that the real reason for the blockage was not a lack of documentation, but the fact that the aid was intended for Albanian communities in Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja.