Mickoski condemns anti-Albanian chants in Kumanovo

2025-08-04 12:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said he condemned nationalist and xenophobic chants against Albanians during a match in Kumanovo. Meanwhile, the president of Kosovo has demanded that the neighboring country take immediate measures against the organizers of the anti-Albanian chants.

According to Albanian politicians in North Macedonia, during the basketball match between North Macedonia and Romania over the weekend, chants such as "a good Albanian is a dead Albanian", "gas chamber for Albanians", and "clean Macedonia" were heard.

Also present at this event, which was the first match of the second phase of pre-qualifications for the World Cup to be held in Qatar in 2027, were Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, Deputy Prime Minister Ivan Stoilkovic, and Minister of Internal Affairs Pancho Toshkovski.

Mickoski, during a statement to the media on August 4, said that even though he was present in the hall, he did not "notice" the fans who chanted these slogans, as he said that "we were talking about a small group of people."

"I want to use this opportunity to join in condemning nationalism and xenophobia - first for what happened during the basketball match between North Macedonia and Romania, and then to send a message to all fan groups: to support in a sporting manner, to support their team and the Macedonian national team," said Mickoski.

He said that calls against Albanians “will be subject to investigation and sanctions, regardless of where they come from.” The Macedonian prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident.

"I want to repeat once again: I absolutely condemn the unusual and unacceptable cheering of some individuals, which was not met with support from anyone present in the hall," he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports, Borko Ristovski, said that this ministry cannot react specifically to this event, "because it does not come from any sports entity - it comes from fans in the stands - and we have no competence to react when it comes to fans."

"However, let me take this opportunity to make an appeal: in Macedonia there is no need for such cheers, neither from one side nor the other, from anyone, from whichever side it comes from."

He added that "from the position of the Ministry of Sports, we cannot do anything other than help identify them and act in accordance with the law."

The Criminal Code of North Macedonia provides for penalties for racist incitement and hate speech in several articles, the most important of which is Article 319, which stipulates that anyone who publicly incites or spreads hatred, discord or intolerance on racial, religious, ethnic or national grounds is punished with imprisonment from one to five years.

Reactions in North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo
The incident in Kumanovo caused reactions in North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo.

The Albanian opposition party in North Macedonia, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), said that at this event "anti-Albanian chants, racist chants and pure language of ethnic hatred against Albanians were heard."

This party said on August 3 that the most worrying fact is that the Government and the state representatives present were silent about this event.

"There was no institutional reaction, no moral condemnation, no political distancing. Only silent approval, which for us is as serious as the choirs themselves," said DUI, which demanded an urgent investigation into the event, sanctions against the organizers, public distancing from the Government, and the involvement of the international factor to monitor the spread of hate speech and, as it said, institutional nationalism.

"Everyone should know: We will not allow the country to return to an arena of ethnic hatred. We will not allow Albanians to become targets of fascist calls. We will not remain silent, neither now nor in the future," said DUI./ REL