Presheva Mayor Ardita Sinani marked the 24th anniversary of the Koncul Agreement, saying the promises of peace and stability made to ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley remain unfulfilled.
“Albanians in the Valley continue to face systemic discrimination, lack of representation, and mass displacement,” Sinani stated in a public message.
Signed in 2001 to end the armed conflict between the Liberation Army of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac (UÇPMB) and Serbian forces, the agreement was meant to guarantee greater rights for the local Albanian population. However, Sinani says conditions have worsened, not improved.
Concerns Over Mandatory Military Service
Sinani also raised alarm about Serbia’s plans to reinstate mandatory military service, calling it a threat to the psychological and real security of Albanian youth in the region.
“It’s time for the Koncul Agreement to move from archives to implementation,” she said, calling for genuine international engagement to stop ongoing discrimination.
She concluded with a call to the international community:
“We demand real international action — for our children, for the future, for equality.”
