North Macedonia's flag desecrated on Albania's Independence Day

The desecration of North Macedonia's flag, recorded on video on 28 November, has sparked strong public condemnation in the country, BGNES reports.
On this date, Albania celebrates its national holiday, Independence Day. Columns of cars passed that evening through the main streets of the Macedonian capital Skopje. Albanian flags waved from them.
Police recorded gunfire, arson, tearing and trampling of the Macedonian flag. Some of the cases were recorded on video and spread on social networks.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said eight people have been arrested. One of them set fire to the flag of North Macedonia and another threw the flag on the ground.
The Prosecutor General's Office in Skopje opened proceedings against three adults for the crime of "inciting hatred, discord or intolerance on national, racial, religious or other discriminatory grounds". Regular proceedings will also be conducted against a fourth minor. A prison sentence of not less than one year is envisaged.
Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova said that "such actions do not contribute to building trust and respect among citizens, but promote further tension and division."
For his part, parliamentary speaker Afrim Gashi (of Albanian origin - ed.) also condemned yesterday's events and noted that "this contradicts the state and national interests of every ethnic community."
The opposition Albanian Democratic Union for Integration party blamed "inappropriate police intervention" for what happened. It accused the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party of trying to gain political dividends.
"Instead of protecting public order, the police response caused unnecessary tension and created a climate of confrontation, violating the right of citizens to freely celebrate this important holiday tradition," the party said.
"At the same time, we condemn the individual act of burning the national flag... Such actions do not reflect the values of Albanians, nor the aspirations for stable coexistence and mutual respect," the party added. | BGNES