On October 14, Serbia and Albania gathered at Belgrade’s Partizan Stadium to face off in the EURO 2016 qualifying stage. Then things got ugly. A violent melee erupted as players, fans and police threw punches—and even plastic chairs—at one another, compelling referees to abandon the match and forcing the Albanian squad to fly back to Tirana immediately.
This match always had the potential to be explosive. Six years ago, Kosovo, whose population is predominately Albanian, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. Relations have been strained ever since.
In the hours and days that have followed, Albanian Eurovision stars have come out in the name of peace. Anjeza Shahini, Kejsi Tola, Juliana Pasha, Rona Nishliu and Hersiana Matmuja all took to social media to air their frustration.
Eurovision 2012 – Rona Nishliu
Rona Nishliu, who gave Albania its best result in Eurovision with her 5th place in Baku, delivered a very strong message.
To all Serbians, Serbian friends, my fellow citizens – Kosovo Serbs, all those people from Belgrade who were present at my concert exactly a month ago in Belgrade Philharmonics Hall, and those Serbian fans of my music who prefer to remain private with their messages and compliments,
We all saw that what Belgrade had to offer tonight was a severe case of national racism. However, I suspect UEFA will find a way out of this mess for your team, like every other time.
This is why I would like to invite you all to a decent, peaceful, and beautiful match next year in Albania, free from hooligans and religious zealots.
Sport is a celebration, so you are all invited to bring your flags and add colours and nuances to this celebration!
Please, spread this message, even privately, and come and let’s just watch a football match next time!
Eurovision 2008 – Olta Boka
Olta Boka, who sang at Eurovision 2008 in Belgrade, knows how the Albanian national team felt after being booed throughout the match. She posted a photo collage of her representing Albania in Serbia, watching the match with Kejsi and Juliana and the flag that was flown in the match.
I know what it means to be in Serbia and represent your country.
Guys, you bleed the veins of hero. Albanian blood!
#donottouchmyflag
Proud to be Albanian!
Eurovision 2010 – Juliana Pasha
Juliana Pasha, the 2010 Albanian representative, shared a petition ‘UEFA: Investigate Serbia for racism and violence, not for “field disturbance”’and said:
Let’s do it together and sign this petition for the right of the Albanian nation.
Earlier, Juliana was angry in regards to what was happening in Belgrade!
In Belgrade, all Albanian flags are being burnt.
Shame, shame, shame for Serbia
Eurovision 2014 – Hersiana Matmuja
The most recent Albanian representative Hersiana Matmuja also shared the petition ‘UEFA: Investigate Serbia for racism and violence, not for “field disturbance”’ and asked her fans to sign it. She told her fans:
It’s not fair what happened in Belgrade.
Eurovision 2004 – Anjeza Shahini
Albania’s very first Eurovision representative was furious.
#Donottouchmyflag These frames stand proud in our walls and no chance in the world to touch with your hands, bastard. (Sorry for the arrogance. It is inevitable)
What do you think of the Albanian representatives involvement in the Serbia-Albania football match conflict and what is your opinion?
Well there’s been a similar riot in France when a player waved a Corsican flag – a copycat (though actually an official flag versus a map of land desires coupled with pictures of political figures/soldiers and a hash tag political statement delivered on a drone.) “Riot after Bastia’s sub keeper Leca waved a Corsican flag at Nice’s ultras, four people arrested” http://www.101greatgoals.com/goals/france/riot-after-bastias-sub-keeper-leca-waved-a-corsican-flag-at-nices-ultras-four-people-arrested-videos/ Nice’s fans invaded the pitch and fought with the players. Is wiwibloggs going to interview past French Eurovision contestants over it? And while you’re at it what about Ukrainian and Russian past performers on their views of what’s… Read more »
I would like to also discuss this since it is close to me (I am Greek studying in United States). Every country has its extremist nationalists. That drone and that flag were very inappropriate actions by an extremist. I have made many good friends from all over, including from Albania and Serbia, so I am disappointed to see this article here. @Ramadan Besim, how would YOU feel if someone flew a greater Greece flag in Tirana showing Gjyrokastor and Sarande as Greek land? There are crazy people in my country that would probably do that. That does not mean that… Read more »
Kosovo Albanians vandalized the ancient Serbian Decani monastery right after this match with Islamic threats: “The caliphate is coming!” and Islamic state graffiti – ISIS. So, after this, Europe, don’t you think you’re next? Do you wan’t to be a part of the caliphate? Would you open your eyes only if Kosovo Albanian jihadists cut the head of Conchita Wurst?
Drones have no place on the football field in my opinion and this should be the focus of UEFA main decision as to who will lose the game. Other things like fireworks, beatings between rival supporters or between supporters and police, calling of names like “we will kill you” or “Gypsies” or “vaffanculo” – sky is the limit for names called on a stadium -, all these are quite normal and part of the football show. Of course there are costs to those as well, fines or playing without supporters a number of home games. But nothing is as dangerous… Read more »
And how can we have peace when these famous idols the youth looks up to are intolerant themselves?
David:
Comments like yours belongs somewhere in a dark corner of the Internet, not here. Maybe 7-12 people have written creepy comments to this article. They do not represent all Balkans. So please, no comments like that.
it all wouldn’t have happened if there wasn’t the dron, who was sent by the Albanians, so please stop blaming Serbia about everything.
this is the Eurovision based web site, do not bring politics in it. thanks!
Dear god, some of the comments below really scares me…
Albanian’s drone entered the field with a flag of “Great Albania” where parts of Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro were included in it. On that flag almost whole Serbia was painted red as a part of that terroristic fictive state. It was more than just a provocation – it was a terroristic act in the capital of Serbia and it was planned weeks in advance. When our player Stefan Mitrovic tried to take that flag to give it to the referee, Albanian players attacked like beasts, so the match was suspended. The damage is done! Albanians did what they did.… Read more »
This is hilarious, where are the Serbian voices?
Albania loves to play the victim role, although they claimed land that was never theirs. And now with their land, many stay in Western Europe, feasting on the social welfare it has to offer, not interested anymore in their “beautiful” Kosovo. They still trick the world into believing, that they are victims.
@srebrenko Stop lying. During the fly of the flag (how can a flag be terrorist? ?? Bleah) In the bealgrad stadium the players continue to play only when some serbian terrorist from the stadium through on the camp a big firework than the player stopped. After stopping the game your player Milosevic o something like that took with violence and not with respect the only Albanian flag in that stadium. Imagine how the Albanian players feels. They was only against 35000 choir sing We Will Kill You and in that flag they sow someone near them. You was violent in… Read more »
@steven Hey you serbian brother of Croatia brother of Bosnia brother of Herzegovina brother of Kosovo???? You just have a lot of psychologist problems to say that. In all the time Albanian didn’t do bad things to any other neighbour. Serbian killed a lot of Bosnian croatian Kosovo people. Albanian never did it. Albanian are authocton in balcan you’re a GIPSY and you know it. Read more of your country history and you ll find horrible things made by your serbian brother. I’m so shocked when you find courage to say what you say. It’s incredible and the only answer… Read more »
Steven, please stop being so illiterate and calm down – Serbia has more enemies in the Balkans than Albania.
The flag may have been the boiling point but there was no reason for the spectators to yell derogatory things at the Albanian soccer players. People watch sport because it is entertaining, they don’t watch it because it is used as a political platform.
Really Steven go see a doctor,and don’t use the word peace when you spread lies and hateful comments for a whole nation.
This is absolutely pathetic! You stupid Albanians are acting the victims when THEY are the ones who started his whole mess with the pathetic flag. Albanians are the most hated, most disgusting, most dirty, revolting, cheap, dangerous, poor and inhumane people in Europe! No wonder everyone hates them because wherever they go, they just cause trouble and bread like rats!! Wiwi blogs get rid of this rubbish as those ugly Albanian singers are all brainwashed, hideous Albanian trash and they should all f*** themselves. EVERYONE IN THE BALKANS ARE ARE ALL BROTHERS EXCEPT ALBANIA! They should all go back to… Read more »
I didn t know that wiwiblogs is albania site, for albania propaganda for Big Albania with include part od Serbia, Macedonia,Greece and Montenegro, and antiserbian report that you post on site.
UEFA should just keep them apart them apart like they do with Armenia And Azerbaijan and Spain and my home town of Gibraltar
You serbian bandits love talking crap hopefully uefa will see through the crap you come up with what was your organisers doing to prevent what happened on the 14 your police what were they doing do you pay them to prevent fights or to watch them as spectators your telling everyone in here that a group of 70 players and officials together the serbian police could not keep track of and as far as drone goes it was most probably flowne in by a serbian so then it could be used as means to cause all the disturben’s serbians can… Read more »
@Bronson:
As I recall, UEFA banned Albanians fans on to the Serbian stadium and vice-versa. Just to be clear.
To Wiwi:
Deep diving into political waters, again? Maybe Top10 worst back-singer dresses is a better solution than this propaganda piece. Maybe someone from Serbia (of your writers) write what the other side has to say. Wait, that would be too much. Cut these (and all other similar, in the future) cr*aps!
WIWIBLOGGS do you tolerate antiserbian report from writer from Albania.
This article is a pure Albanian propaganda making this site a disgrace. When our player Stefan Mitrovic tried to take that terroristic flag to give it to the referee, Albanian players attacked like beasts, so the match was suspended.
Sorry
Can someone of you serbian peaceful people (as you describe yourself) explain to me, why do you sing choir for 40 minutes of play WE
KILL ALBANIAN
WE WILL KILL ALBANIAN????
AND WHY DO YOU THROUGH FIREWORKS AGAINST ALBANIAN players? ???
WHY IVAN WHO FIRED ALBANIAN FLAG 2 YEARS AGO IN GENOVA WAS IN STADIUM CAMP?
SO you’re NOT VICTIMS
NOOOOOO I’m not nationalist but You’re so VIOLENT people. You did horrible thing in passed so STOP.
its all kicking off on here.. nearly as bad as armenia and azerbaijan
The boy from Kosovo who grew up to be a suicide bomber http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29524402
On 25 March Arieta’s brother killed himself and 52 Iraqis in a suicide bombing.
Arieta struggles to comprehend how and why her brother changed.
“When he was in Kosovo, Blerim said that suicide bombers, they’re not Muslims. But when I talked to him in Syria, and I asked him, ‘Is it good to kill people?’ He said, ‘If they’re not Muslim, yes.'”
It s shame to see this report on this site about Eurovision.
Shame on you Wiwi blogs for this antiserbian report from Albanian reporter . You must banned this report and maybe and writer.
Tziki
It is not true, becase if is true that matc wili stoped after what you wrote in your commetn. Match is stopped when albanian players want to got flag with promote Greater Albania .
Albanians are the troublemakers where ever they live – they have their mafia and thousands of theft and drug rings.
Just recently 8 Albanians were arrested for the rape of a 13-year-old Brit girl. They are HUGE suppliers of drugs.
They also have several hundreds who have joined ISIS – one of the ISIS commanders was a Kosovo Albanian who showed videos of decapitating people. When Albanians back in the Balkans condemned him, he stated that it was just what the KLA did.
The UN found photos of KLA with the severed heads of Serbs.
This article is so antiserbian, shame is to read this article on this site.
Serbians are the troublemakers of the Balkans. They cause trouble everywhere. They all in all should just accept Kosovo’s independence because most of the world has. Stop being shrouded in the past and live in the present. I think it’s horrible how Serbia and Albania use a soccer game to display their hatred for one another and to spread propaganda. Albania may be responsible for the flag, but that in no way condones the things Serbians were saying throughout the match. Kill the Albanians? Seriously? Not to mention the ban of Albanians. The least the officials could have done was… Read more »
Albanians did a terroristic act in the capital of Serbia. It was more than just a provocation and it was planned weeks in advance.
It’s not propaganda,the Serbs(ahem hooligans i mean) did do quite a lot during the match like shouting Kill the Albanians….I think both sides are at fault. That flag wasn’t even our flag. I didn’t like seeing that flag there,and my fellow Albanians should fucking calm their tits.There is quite a lot of tension in Albania right now regarding Serbia. It’s really unfortunate how we Balkan countries and Generally eastern Europeans show such a disgraceful face to the world :/
Olta Boka should be in jail for posting a flag of “Great Albania” where parts of Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are included in it. It’s a terroristic act. And, Anjeza Shahini shows just how rude she is. Albanians hide behind their women. But, the damage is done! Albanians did what they did. Albania should be abandoned from UEFA and the official score of this match should be 3:0 for Serbia. I love you, Stefan Mitrovi?! I love you, man!
This shouldn’t have happened. But please, remember that Serbia also wanted to have the Great Serbia, not very long time ago! (Miloševi?, Šešelj etc., remember?) But let’s be honest, there are lot of nations that aren’t very keen to each other: Albanians and Serbs, Bosniaks and Serbs, Basques and Spanish, Armenian and Azers, Armenian and Turks, and even my people – Polish, we have some problems with Lithuanians (well, some of Poles do). However, EUROVISION IS NOT TO DIVIDE, IT IS TO CONNECT PEOPLE! And so is music. So make love, not war and let’s live in peace. Or at… Read more »
The UEFA was wrong to put those teams together. Spain and Gibraltar are kept apart, as are Ukraine and Russia. Wiwibloggs, with this article, has become a platform for Albanian propaganda – it is nothing but Albanians who give their biased propaganda. The premeditated the incident weeks in advance. What they flew was a political banner to stir up and insult the fans and country. They were the instigators. The flew a map of “Greater Albania”. Their map also shows their quest for taking parts of MACEDONIA, GREECE, MONTENEGRO and more of Serbia. They want it all and have a… Read more »
I meant a flag, not a map of big Albania
I am Serbian and sadly what we did shown us in the worst possible light to the world who do not know history between Serbia and Albania. My people is not greatest, we are a lot behind Europe in many things, and yes there are many, many great people live in Albania, but this was awful thing made by crazy nationalist ALBANIAN people only . Kosovo is Serbian land, and how would you for example Finish, Swedish, Spanish and other European countries react to common attacks, missing of people (black market for selling organs), constant provocation desecration of your monuments… Read more »
Albanian singers should tell that to their countrymen. Hypocrites…
Racist provocation came from the Albanians – their drone entered the field with a flag of “Great Albania” where parts of Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro were included in it. But, who cares, they can only dream about it.
Quarrels Serbo Albanian are very stupid! Why do you argue about these small areas?! Poles taken Borderlands and Vilnius region and somehow did not complain.
@Daniel: Serbian supporters were throwing fireworks at the Albanian players before the drone entered the field.
UEFA should disqualify both teams from the competition.
I have nothing against both countries… but the provocation which stopped the match came from the Albanian side and I mean how can u play the victim or support these nationalistic flag (it wasnt the albanian one 😉 )