FLASH
Shkruar nga Arben Llangozi
The state cannot be harsh with its citizens and soft on those who insult and desecrate our nation.
As part of Albanian society that remains loyal to the history, traditions and values of our nation, I express my indignation and deep concern for the recent incident, where some Serbian fans have desecrated our national symbols, thus insulting the dignity of the Albanian people.
The Constitution of the Republic of Albania, in Article 14, clearly states that the national symbols, the flag, the anthem and our national heroes, are the sanctity of the Albanian identity. Their desecration constitutes a violation of the constitutional order and an insult to the national sentiment of every Albanian, as well as a criminal offense.
The Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania, Article 268, considers insulting state symbols a criminal offense. In this sense, the actions of the Serbian fans were not simply a sporting provocation, but a serious unconstitutional and criminal act, violating peace, public order and interethnic relations.
It is inexplicable and condemnable that the law enforcement agencies have taken measures against Albanian citizens who reacted to this act, while the perpetrators of the provocation, the Serbian fans, were not prosecuted and deportation measures were not taken against them, as provided for by the Law "On Foreigners" and the regulations on entry and stay in Albanian territory.
The law is equal for all and cannot be applied with double standards. The state cannot be harsh with its citizens and soft with those who insult and desecrate our nation. Such an approach not only damages the authority of institutions, but creates the perception that our symbols are not protected by the Albanian state.
The Albanian people have a long history of sacrifices, where thousands of martyrs gave their lives for their flag and land. Insulting the name of Gjergj Kastrioti, the figure who embodies Albanian freedom and identity, is a grave insult to every Albanian, at home and abroad.
The reaction of the Albanian fans cannot be seen in isolation from this historical and emotional context. It is a direct consequence of the provocation, a spontaneous reaction to defend national honor. Although the violent form is not legally justifiable, it is understandable from a human and social point of view.
It is the obligation of the State Police, the Prosecutor's Office and the justice institutions to protect national symbols, to punish any act of desecration and to guarantee that anyone who violates the law is held accountable.
In this case, the Albanian authorities should have accompanied and prosecuted the Serbian fans who committed the desecration. To take administrative measures to expel them from Albania and prohibit their entry in the future. To guarantee that the civic reaction was treated proportionally, taking into account the provocative cause.
Albanians have historically proven their hospitality and respect for every nation. Even this year, Serbian tourists were welcomed with dignity and treated with respect in Albanian lands. But hospitality cannot and should not be abused. It does not mean tolerance for provocations that flagrantly violate our symbols and the feelings of the Albanian nation.
If the Albanian state fails to protect national symbols, then it is the moral duty of citizens to react. We cannot allow our flag, our heroes, and our very identity to become objects of ridicule and desecration.
We call on institutions to protect national symbols seriously and guarantee equal application of the law for all. Protecting national dignity is not only right, but also a duty.
I am against violence in any form, but at the same time against the stance of our state that showed its inability to protect national symbols and history; the desecration of our flag and historical figures is not simply a sporting provocation, but a serious act that violates the dignity of the nation, so the state must take equal measures and impose responsibility on the real perpetrators, otherwise the civic reaction becomes a natural consequence of the lack of institutional protection.
However, the footage does not show violence to the extent that would justify arrests, while one of the criminal offenses imposed by the police is “obstructing the movement of vehicles”, when in fact it is clearly seen that the bus passed freely and the movement was not obstructed; this shows that the state and the police are falsifying reports in order to protect the real perpetrators of the crime, those who desecrated our national symbols.
The police have imposed this criminal offense with the clear intention of justifying the arrests, as it has such a margin of punishment that allows the police to justify their actions, creating an artificial legal basis, while in reality there is no obstruction of traffic, which makes this action a pure manipulation to cover up the failure to punish the real perpetrators of the provocation.
The question that arises for the State Police is: in addition to the desecration of national symbols by the Serbian fan, does not the exposure of the genital organ in public in "Skënderbej" Square constitute a criminal offense of "Indecent Acts"? Is this not also considered a violation of public order and peace? And if a foreign citizen has committed several criminal offenses at the same time, how is it possible that he was allowed to leave the territory of the Republic of Albania without being criminally prosecuted, without arrest, and without being subject to deportation measures?
Lini një Përgjigje