MR. ARIFI: ALBANIANS SHOULD KNOCK ON THE DOOR OF THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

13. November 2017.

Presevo – Sciprim Arifi, the Head of the Interim Body of the municipality of Presevo, perceives extraordinary local elections, which are called for December 24, as an opportunity to “send the old political elite, which has held Presevo hostage for 27 years, into retirement by means of the citizens’ votes, so that Presevo could pursue a new policy.

He said that Albanians should not only criticize, because they are unhappy that the state of Serbia did not fulfill its obligations towards the Albanian minority, but should "proactively" seek what belongs to them.

"We ourselves should knock on the door of the Government, no matter which Government it is," Mr. Arifi said.

Mr. Arifi, as a member of the younger generation of Albanian politicians, says that the claims that his compatriots in southern Serbia dream about "Greater Albania" or about annexation to Kosovo and Metohija, are nonsensical.

“Our citizens want to have their university degrees recognized. They want to get employed, to take their children for a walk in the park, to take them to a football match or a theater. We want to be in the European Union alongside with other nations,” Mr. Arifi said.

On March 10, Mr. Arifi split up with Riza Halimi’s Party for Democratic Action and resigned as the Mayor of Medvedja.

Since the Municipal Assembly of Presevo did not hold any sessions over the summer despite the fact that they had been scheduled, the Government of the Republic of Serbia, on September 14, adopted a decision on establishing an Interim Body headed by Mr. Arifi.

Source: “Tanjug” news agency, “Politika” daily and Coordination Body