The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEFA) expresses its regret over the fact that, at a cultural event held yesterday in Pustec, attended by the Prime Minister of North Macedonia and the Mayor, the Albanian National Anthem was not played alongside that of North Macedonia.

Although the event was organized by a local association, the presence of senior institutional representatives and locally elected officials gave it a particular public dimension. In this context, the omission of the Albanian National Anthem constitutes a serious shortcoming and a departure from the written and unwritten rules of courtesy and protocol, which require and uphold respect for national symbols alongside those of the communities they represent.

Respect for national symbols should not be a matter of politics or interpretation. It is part of institutional ethics, protocol and, above all, mutual respect, particularly in a space where different communities and identities coexist.

In Pustec, as in every part of the Republic of Albania, respect for national symbols is part of respect for the citizens themselves, for the values of democratic coexistence and for the civic culture that unites us. It is also a cornerstone of good-neighbourly relations and healthy relations between our peoples and our countries.