Skopje, 16 January 2024 (MIA) - After receiving reports on the snub of North Macedonia's official flag at the Australian Open tennis tournament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has immediately reacted to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AO organizers.

The MFA has been assured it was an unintentional mistake, namely a technical error that was urgently corrected and one that did not cause any effective restrictions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.

"We received a deep apology and assurance that the incident will not affect the strong ties between the citizens of Australia and North Macedonia, which are characterized by friendship and love for the sport. Organizers clarified that according to the tournament rules, only flags of participating players are allowed to fly at the stands during the matches. They confirmed that the fans displayed the country's official flag without any restrictions during the match of North Macedonia's Lina Gjorchevska (in the tournament qualifiers)," reads the press release.

MIA file photo