Albania and Serbia to Open Consulates in Shkodër and Bujanoc
Albania and Serbia have reached a principle agreement to establish reciprocal consular missions: Serbia will open a general consulate in Shkodër, Albania will open a permanent consulate in the Preshev Valley (Bujanoc). Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Ferit Hoxha said the Albanian consulate is a priority for serving the large Albanian community in the Preshev Valley, while Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Gjuriq expressed satisfaction with the talks and the reciprocal arrangement.
The deal is framed around the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, though Albanian officials stress it is not a simple “tit‑for‑tit” exchange. Opposition figures have criticised the proposal, with Vetëvendosje MP Vigan Qorolli calling the Serbian consulate a “knife at Kosovo’s throat” and former prime minister Pandeli Majko labelling the Shkodër‑Bujanoc comparison “more than an irony”. Census data show about 61,687 ethnic Albanians live in the Preshev Valley (≈71% of the population) and only 54 Serbs are officially recorded in Shkodër.
The agreement is pending final procedural steps before the consulates can be opened.
Entities: Albana Vokshi · Albania · Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Basic Court in Struga · Basic Court of Struga · Borche Markovski · Borçe Markovski · Bujanoc · Ferit Hoxha · Higher Public Prosecutor in Bitola · Marko Gjuriq · Markovski Company
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 9 SOURCES] The trial for the tender case is scheduled for 2 September 2026. (court schedule)
- [● 10 SOURCES] The higher public prosecutor in Bitola gave a positive opinion for returning the passport, while the Struga prosecutor opposed it. (prosecutor statements)
- [● 7 SOURCES] After his release, Markovski crossed the border into Serbia. (border police report)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Markovski is accused of misuse of public procurement in REK Bitola/Manastir worth about €1.7 million. (accusation)
- [● 10 SOURCES] Borçe Markovski is the owner of Markovski Company. (business registry)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Markovski pledged assets including houses, apartments, 25 bulldozers and trucks as part of the €5 million guarantee. (court filing)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Basic Court in Struga returned Markovski's passport after he posted a guarantee worth over €5 million in property. (court decision)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Markovski was detained at the Tabanoc border crossing but released because no active travel restriction existed. (border police report)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Only 54 self‑declared Serbs live in Shkodër according to the 2023 census. (c9d546eb-40a5-4024-9237-5b334890b73c)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Serbian foreign minister Marko Gjuriq said he is pleased with the talks and the agreement in principle. (Marko Gjuriq)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Albania and Serbia have reached an agreement in principle to open consulates in Shkodër and Bujanoc. (b580e19d-16e4-4b46-97bd-c2a317144bac, 670a54e6-6715-4c70-95fc-120ad4e136ff)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Decisions on the consulates will be taken only after all aspects of the process are agreed between the two countries. (b580e19d-16e4-4b46-97bd-c2a317144bac)