Albania’s old communist flag at the European parliament

TIRANA, June 15 – The European Parliament’s joint meeting with a group of Albanian lawmakers was not different than the tense political situation in the tiny western Balkan country– it was tough, hard for the Europeans and full of fruitless debates.
But it also had a, let’s call it, funny side.
Albania’s flag representing the country at the meeting, set behind the two co-chairs, was not the usual national flag, but instead it was the old Albanian communist flag with a star above the double-headed eagle. That star had been removed from the flag after the fall of communism in the country.
Its presence surprised many Albanians when they followed the coverage of the meeting. It is not known whether any of the 14 Albanian lawmakers noted that and asked the European parliamentarians to change it.
Sure it was a mistake from their protocol officeŠor could it possibly have been a subtle statement from Brussel about the current affairs in Albania?