Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted on social media following the incident in Pustec, where the Albanian national anthem was not played at a cultural event attended by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Rama said that Pustec Mayor Pali Kolefski had requested in advance that the Albanian anthem also be performed at the event, but his request was ignored.

The prime minister also stressed that Albania considers minorities a national asset, not merely a statistic.

“Pustec Mayor Pali Kolefski had requested in advance that the Albanian anthem also be played. He was ignored and then apologized for something that was not his fault. He proved himself to be a statesman and a worthy citizen of European Albania, honoring himself and his North Macedonian community, for which we want only the best. We have also honored that small community with special status as a municipality in its own right, precisely because, for Albania, minorities are not a statistic but a national asset, and minority citizens are not numbers but brothers and sisters with the same freedoms and rights as all of us,” Rama wrote.

The head of government also commented on the reactions that followed the incident, describing the situation as an “ancient flag circus in the age of artificial intelligence.”

“Now, this occasional arrival in our territory of the circus troupes of Balkan national folklorism, sometimes from one country, sometimes from another, and sometimes from yet another, does not concern us in itself—not when it comes to Albania’s sovereignty, certainly not—nor does it concern the balance of political life here at home, where there are no Trojan asses raised in our hills or a ‘diaspora’ exported from within our own neighborhood to shake us,” the prime minister wrote.

Reaction:

What happened in Pustec is a meaningful parody of our differing worldviews in this neighborhood of Europe.

Pustec Mayor Pali Kolefski had requested in advance that the Albanian anthem also be played. He was ignored and then apologized for something that was not his fault. He proved himself to be a statesman and a worthy citizen of European Albania, honoring himself and his North Macedonian community, for which we want only the best.

We have also honored that small community with special status as a municipality in its own right, precisely because, for Albania, minorities are not a statistic but a national asset, and minority citizens are not numbers but brothers and sisters with the same freedoms and rights as all of us.

Now, this occasional arrival in our territory of the circus troupes of Balkan national folklorism, sometimes from one country, sometimes from another, and sometimes from yet another, does not concern us in itself—not when it comes to Albania’s sovereignty, certainly not—nor does it concern the balance of political life here at home, where there are no Trojan asses raised in our hills or a “diaspora” exported from within our own neighborhood to shake us.

Nevertheless, today I expressed sincere regret to all the sponsors of this ancient flag circus in the age of artificial intelligence, while to the patriots among us who, on such occasions, leap in front of their digital mirrors, demanding an answer in kind, I say:

No, Albania—the Europe of the Balkans—cannot and will not allow itself to lower the currency of its values to the level of the Pustec parody.🇦🇱🦅🇪🇺

The post Incident over the national anthem in Pustec, Rama reacts: An ancient flag circus in the age of artificial intelligence—we will not lower ourselves to their… appeared first on Albeu.com.

Today, the Macedonian Folklore Festival was held in the Municipality of Pustec, attended by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski. During the ceremony, only the anthem of North Macedonia was played, while the Albanian anthem was not.

Pustec Mayor Pali Kolefski apologized for the situation, explaining that the Municipality of Pustec was not the organizer of the event, but merely an invited guest.

“To tell you the truth, before this event took place, I asked the organizers—specifically, the chairman of the VMRO association in Albania—for the official program. I was told that there would be traditional Macedonian songs and dances and that the event would open with the Macedonian anthem.

I asked them to ensure that, when the Macedonian anthem was played, the Albanian anthem would also be played, because that is how it should happen at every official reception or ceremony. We are Albanian citizens, we live here, and the anthem must be respected,” Kolefski said.

The post Ignoring the Albanian anthem during Mickoski’s visit to Pustec, mayor: We did not organize it appeared first on Albeu.com.