Press release of Prime Minister Edi Rama following UEFA’S decision on the match Serbia-Albania:

Today UEFA took a decision that doesn’t do justice to what happened at the stadium in Belgrade. By saying that Albania loses the game on table because the team didn’t return on the pitch, while Serbia doesn’t get the point because supporters entered the pitch, UEFA has put an unjust sign of equality between the racist aggression of physical violence and the psychological and physical inability to continue the match.

By fining both parties with 100 thousand Euros each, UEFA has put an unjust sign of equality between the hosting party, which bears the whole responsibility for the organization and the progress of the match, and the guests who didn’t even bring supporters in the foreign pitch.

By condemning Serbia to play only two matches without supporters at home, UEFA hasn’t modified the equality sign. Instead, it has given itself a big minus in relation to the way it dealt with racism and violence. Racism and violence escaped unscathed from the measures which UEFA tried to apply equally to everyone.

UEFA wanted to give a message to both countries by penalizing them almost the same way, although I am convinced that the Serbian party will for sure say with great ado that they are victims of a major injustice. But this is not justice and Albania doesn’t deserve to be put on the other side of the equality sign, after what happened in front of the whole world.

The Albanian Football Federation is doing the right thing by following this issue thoroughly, appeal it and, if necessary, take it to the third instance. I am confident that the issue could and will be judged more fairly in other instances, and I want to say to all Albanians hurt by this decision that this is not the first time that UEFA take decisions that are appealed and then revoked in higher instances.

Likewise, I want to tell you that nobody should consider UEFA’s decision as a complot of Europe against Albania, as a sign of disrespect of Europe for Albania, as a result of the fact that the government of Albania didn’t show its teeth to UEFA, ect. etc. …

I noticed this kind of comments in the social networks, and they are really unfortunate.  While to some who are making a blizzard by reinforcing their nationalist tones, going so far as to connect UEFA’s decision with my decision to not cancel my visit to Serbia, I want to tell that I feel really sorry for them. I fully understand their anger, and I am myself as angry as any of them, but we should not let anger affect our judgment. Because besides being of no use for ourselves, we become also ridiculous in front of the world.

There is no doubt that UEFA has taken a political decision, but this has nothing to do with foreign policy of Albania and neither with foreign policy of the European Union. It’s really nonsense to think this way. This decision has to do with UEFA’s domestic policy and UEFA is a “state in itself”, as they say. And those who know very little about how this “state” functions don’t know that UEFA doesn’t even listen to appeals or approvals of governments.

UEFA’s domestic policy cannot be reshaped with verbal attacks by governments and decisions that come from this policy and neither can they be affected or changed by starting an open political fight against UEFA. Whoever prescribes these solutions of Balkan primitivism, besides being angry is also totally uninformed.

 

There is only one way for Albania, as far as today’s decision is concerned. It is the way taken by the Albanian Football Federation, to continue the battle in order to obtain justice in higher instances.

Evidences are stubbornly in our favour. Foreign lawyers assisting our Federation are among the best known and respected in the UEFA planet. Experience shows that UEFA courts are not like courts of Albania and do not care at all about domestic political line that often dictates decisions of the Disciplinary Commission within UEFA.

In conclusion I would like to add that today we decided to set a date for the opening of Shkoder’s new Olympic stadium, which of course will have all parameters required by UEFA.  It is 15 October 2015. In the return match Albania – Serbia there should be room for at least twenty thousand red and black hearts.

The extraordinary guys of our National Team and our wise coach, who has a long experience, should not feel sad about today’s injustice.

They should not forget that they went to Belgrade as football players and came back as the personification of our national enthusiasm, as the power of our faith in ourselves , of what we can do as a nation and as a country if we put heart and solidarity in the foundation of our work. This is the biggest victory under their red and black shirt and their mission is not to win the European Championship, but to remain the embodiment of everything they were in the magical night of October 15.

The battle for justice over the match in Belgrade continues. The mission of our national team continues. This government’s support and mine to our National Team in particular and to sports in general, has just begun. On this road that continues, we will have more than one reason to be altogether proud for Albania and for each – other.

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–          Hello, Mr. Prime Minister. In UEFA’s decision there is no word, no paragraph that condemns racism. In your view, has UEFA this way justified the racism we saw at the Stadium of Belgrade?

I believe I was clear about what I said. But on the other hand, once again I would like to invite everybody to not rush into immature and undeserved conclusions. UEFA can never justify racism. However, note that there are several instances of judgment which has its own technical features when it comes to UEFA’s Disciplinary Commission. This means that the issue of racism will rightfully be a fundamental issue in the Albanian Football Federation’s plea, because in the first instance all evidences have been submitted in relation to the objections made by the observers, the referee and so on. I do not want to go into technical issues, but we should not forget that the fundamental objection made ​​to our team has been the refusal to enter the field, which will be argued and objected with yet more strength in other instances, precisely because in other instances the parties will have the opportunity to spread far beyond their arguments and will have the opportunity, in our case, to highlight racism and violence as a result of racism, but also of hooliganism, the two basic elements that made it impossible for our team to return on the field. I said that these are technical aspects and it is not up to me to go into them.

–          Mr. Rama, you say that UEFA is a separate state and its decision doesn’t have any political influence, and it is a Balkan culture to think that there is a political influence. But how come EU’s position is in tune with that of UEFA’s and is it worth being so European in front of the Serbian propaganda? Here I am referring to the statement of the President who insulted a whole nation or even the allegations made to your person by the Serbian Prime Minister, but also by the Foreign Minister.

First, be sure that if we go back to previous decisions taken over the years by the body that gave today’s decision, we will find many undesired decisions that have been appealed from even greater forces which have had even greater political support and who have been victims of a judgment that they considered unfair. Be sure of this.

Second, be sure that UEFA is not a structure that can be fooled or driven towards pre-established directions by governments. Be sure of this. UEFA is a structure that really is a separate state.

While, as far as the other question is concerned, it reminds me – and here I do not want to put anybody in a difficult position – some reactions of these days where some people write, comment or claim that since there are here a lot of businessmen – and this is true – who steal electrical power, why should those who do not run businesses not steal electrical power? The fact that somebody steals, the fact that somebody kills, the fact that somebody insults and hurts you does not constitute a reason for you to respond with the same means. And the fact that somebody acts against you as a hooligan, doesn’t mean that you should do the same. All these are things that our parents used to teach us when we were very little, not knowing that one day we would have to fight for our European identity and we would have to access the European Union. These are fundamental principles of our upbringing and tradition that in this case should help us to understand how we should react.

And last, let me repeat that we don’t become Europeans by the need to imitate somebody. And neither can we be forced by anyone to be Europeans or act as such. Neither can the European Union, nor the NATO and even a supernatural force. Likewise, nobody forced us in the 90s to pour into the streets and ask for Albania to be like the whole Europe. Who forced us? Who forced us to enter the process of European integration? Who forced us to sign the Stabilization and Association Agreement? Who forced us to become candidates to the European Union? Did the European Union force us? Did NATO force us? Did any external need force us? No! It is our being that drives us towards ourselves.

Excuse me, but if you think that we would be stronger if we responded the other party with the language of power and not by the power of language, as we did respond; by the reason of power and not by the power of reason, as we did respond, I think we would be just as weak as the other party.

Beyond the wave of the first moment that overwhelmed, unfortunately, many prestigious media, I am convinced that thanks to its European attitude Albania has come out of this battle much more successful than it was when it entered it. The same, our national team has come out much more successful than months ago, when we didn’t know what result we would be given. So, let’s not forget all this although all of us would like, and it’s a desire based on facts, to have points from UEFA. I repeat that the victory of that night was much bigger even though it wasn’t merely a 3-point victory. So, there is nothing to review; on the contrary, we will move firmly ahead.

–          Do you think that the Albanian diplomacy stepped back compared to the Serbian diplomacy? I am referring to the phone calls between Mr. Vucic and Ms. Merkel, and Mr. Biden. Do you believe that had you been personally more proactively involved, this might have influenced for a different decision?

Why do you think that these phone calls have affected UEFA’s decision?! Are you still so stuck on “C” and can’t move to “D”? I am really sorry, but this approach is so puerile and it has no connection to reality and to how things work. First!

And second, as far as our foreign diplomacy and phone calls are concerned, I would answer you in a comprehensive way if I told you who called whom and what was said. Ok? So, if you told me this… This is not up to me, this is up to you. It is very clear to me, but I don’t deal with this. It is you who deal with this.

–          Mr. Prime Minister, do you believe you will be welcomed in Belgrade on November 10, in front of your counterparts who used such a language for the Albanian people, which you of course represent?

Again the same question followed by the same answer again. Everyone is responsible for themselves and everyone defines the height of their dignity by the language they use and the attitude they have. Now, measure yourselves and see who stands higher in all this.

Thank you!