24.10.2014 12:12 h

Albanian prime minister slams UEFA sanctions

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama slammed UEFA's decision Friday to award aborted Euro 2016 qualification match to Serbia by a 3-0 scoreline.

"Today the justice has not been served regarding what had happened at the Belgrade stadium," Rama said on Twitter profile.

Rama backed the decision of Albanian Football Federation to appeal against the UEFA sanctions.

UEFA ordered Albania to forfeit the game by a 3-0 scoreline but deducted the three qualifying points from the Serbs and ordered them to play their next two matches behind closed doors.

The Albanian and Serbian federation were fined 100,000 euros ($126,000) each.

The October 14 match in Belgrade had to be called off after home fans invaded the pitch and attacked Albania players when a drone carried a pro-Albanian flag over the stadium.

"The UEFA commission's decision does not give justice," blasted Albania coach Gianni De Biasi. "The three points belong to Albania and they've taken away from us what we've deserved."

"The decision of the commission is wierd and unacceptable," said Albanian federation Secretary General Ilir Shulku.

"The Albanian football federation will appeal against the decision demanding three points for victory," Shulku said.

Albanian Football Association lawyer Artan Hajdari qualified UEFA decision as "wierd" and a "parody."

"We will continue our fight for justice ... because the case of racism was not considered," he said.

Serbian Football Federation (FSS) officials were to meet Friday to discuss UEFA's decision and react, the federation said on its web site.

After the match, Serbia's foreign minister called the flag stunt a "political provocation" by Albania. The flag carried by the drone showed a map of "Greater Albania," a nationalist project seeking to unite all Albanians in one state.