Albanian PM Rama sticks to Serbia visit

Tirana, 17 October 2014 (MIA) -  Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama will make a planned landmark visit to Serbia despite violence that led to the abandoning of a Serbia-Albania football match, an official said here today.

"Rama confirmed that he has decided to travel to Belgrade" on October 22, in the first visit of an Albanian prime minister to Serbia in 68 years, deputy prime minister Niko Peleshi told AFP.

The visit would come barely a week after a Euro 2016 qualifying tie in the Serbian capital had to be abandoned on Tuesday night after a drone carried a pro-Albanian flag over the stadium, sparking fighting between the two sides.

European football's governing body UEFA has opened a formal probe into both Serbia and Albania over the violence, on and off the pitch, for which both countries blame each other.

Tirana's position over the prime minister's visit remains the same, Peleshi said, that it should take place "despite the disappointment caused by the incidents and reaction of Serbian officials."

"This visit is in the interest of our two countries but of course it comes to the Serbian part to confirm its commitment and will to ensures that it goes on smoothly."

Serbian leaders had labelled the incident a planned "political provocation".

Meanwhile, an Albanian foreign ministry spokesman said that Tirana was continuing preparations for Rama's visit.

"Albania has firmly decided not to fall into the trap of violence which marked the football match," spokesman Glevi Dervisihi said.

Tirana "remains committed to work for peace, cooperation and dialogue between the countries in the region," he stressed.