Bardhi condemns border detention of Albanian MPs from North Macedonia: This is unacceptable

Gazment Bardhi, head of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, reacted to reports that several Albanian MPs from North Macedonia were stopped at a border crossing, calling the action unacceptable.

In a public statement, Bardhi criticized the way the State Police treated the head of the VLEN parliamentary group, Bekim Qoku, as well as MPs Adnan Azizi and Hasim Murtezani, and the deputy secretary-general of the Government of North Macedonia.

“No one has the right to treat the legitimate representatives of Albanians in North Macedonia in a degrading manner. Such actions are unacceptable and run counter to the constitutional obligations of the Republic of Albania to protect and respect Albanians wherever they live,” Bardhi said.

According to him, incidents of this kind harm the spirit of cooperation and respect that should guide relations between Albania and North Macedonia.

He called on the State Police to provide a full public explanation for the case, stressing that any action taken in violation of the law must be investigated and those responsible must be held accountable.

“Albania must always be a state that welcomes, respects and protects Albanians, not a state where they feel offended or obstructed. This is not only a legal issue, but also a national and moral obligation,” he said.

In conclusion, the head of the DP parliamentary group stressed that such cases damage the image of the Albanian state and relations among Albanians on both sides of the border, calling for them not to be repeated.