Albania soccer federation fights fan’s extradition to Serbia
TIRANA, Albania — Albania’s soccer federation is calling on Albanian authorities to stop the extradition to Serbia of a man who reportedly flew a drone with a nationalist banner over a stadium in Serbia, a move that prompted fan violence.
Ismail Morinaj was arrested in Croatia in June based on a warrant from Serbia. A court in Dubrovnik agreed this week to extradite the 35-year-old Albanian to Belgrade.
An Albanian Football Federation statement on Saturday called on Albania’s government to intervene “to stop the extradition of Ismail Morinaj to Serbia.” The federation assured Morinaj’s family it would keep fighting to prevent his extradition.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has negotiated with Croatian authorities in the last two days on the matter, the federation said.