In the upcoming elections in Kosovo, Aljbin Kurti has a good chance of winning again. Among other things, his popularity is contributed by his adversarial attitude towards neighboring Serbia, which is felt most by the 90.000 Serbs in Kosovo.
Aljbin Kurti has a good chance to be the winner of the election again in Kosovo in February 2025, it says "Noye zircher zeitung". Economic growth of six percent, foreign investments and a drop in unemployment to ten percent are cited as arguments. writes Deutsche Welle (DW).
Ali, the popularity of Kurti there are other reasons as well, the author of the article, Andreas Ernst, estimates: neighboring Serbia". However, as assessed, "Kurti's offensive strategy is not so much felt by Belgrade as by the 90.000 Serbs in Kosovo."
"Serbs actually manage only education and health care"
In the north of Kosovo, there was a kind of Serbian state administration and Serbia was an important employer, but Kurti changed everything, the article states: "Kurti put an end to that." He has been enforcing Kosovo's sovereignty there for almost a year with harsh administrative measures. It builds bases in the north for heavily armed special police, sends financial inspections and confiscates buildings that were built without Pristina's permission. He banned the use of the Serbian dinar, and Cyrillic signs were replaced. Serbs actually manage only education and health care."
"Those actions brought insecurity among the Kosovo Serbs and angered them - but it also irritates the Western powers." They critically claim that these steps are "one-sided" and that they were not agreed with Brussels, Berlin and Washington. Kurti, however, leaves it cold. This nonchalance towards the important protectors of his country has a prehistory. It is the story of Kurti's political rise," writes "Noye zircher Zeitung".
"Resistance to the Western post-war order"
The Swiss newspaper points out: "Just as in the 2005s he fought against the Serbian government as a political activist - for which he spent two years in prison - so he later resisted the Western post-war order." With a small group of like-minded people, he founded the 'Self-Determination' movement in XNUMX, which advocated for Kosovo's self-determination and later unification with Albania."
The article recalls Kurti's fight against the administrative apparatus of the United Nations in Kosovo, which brought him increasing support from the population. "This made Kurti a red rag for the ambassadors of the Western powers in Pristina, who saw themselves as a kind of proconsul." Kurti also categorically refused negotiations with Belgrade on the status of Kosovo".
Kurti was not even in favor of "supervised independence" that was declared in 2008 with American support and against the will of Belgrade, the newspaper writes - and quotes his words: "States are not 'given away', but the people choose them."
"Albanian nationalism as emancipatory"
The article points out that Kurti, unlike many other politicians, thoroughly studied political theories, especially post-colonial thought. "From that perspective, he views the Serbian rule in Kosovo since the Balkan wars in 1912 as colonial rule, and in contrast, Albanian nationalism as emancipatory. Kurti criticized the international protectorate since 1999 as a foreign rule with neoliberal overtones.
It is also reminded of Kurti's accusations that Serbia is an "open gate for Russian and Chinese influence in Europe", but counter-arguments are also stated - "Vučić's good relationship with Western capitals".
Ammunition for Ukraine and lithium - Vučić's connection with the West
"Vučić won the favor of the West by supplying ammunition worth over 800 million euros to Ukraine since the Russian attack," it says.Noah Zircher Zeitung", and besides, it also reminds of Vučić's support for lithium mining, which interestingly connects him with the European Union and Germany. "Who follows what Vučić does - not what he says - can come to the conclusion that Serbia is firmly in the Western camp," the article assesses.
However, it is also added that at an international forum, Kurti disputed the thesis that Vučić's policy of more chairs and opposition to Kosovo's independence is just an act for the domestic audience. Kurti claimed that Vučić was pulling the West by the nose and that the authorities in Belgrade had not given up on the Greater Serbian project, hiding it behind the phrase "Serbian world".
"Strategic Patience"
Kurti's thesis, as estimated, is that Vučić is practicing "strategic patience" like Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev - he is arming Serbia in order to act towards Kosovo as Azerbaijan did towards Nagorno-Karabakh. "The goal is the second leg, we have to be ready for that," Kurti said.
"Indeed, some people in Belgrade are counting on the fact that Trump's victory will bring a chance to return at least the north of Kosovo." Hopes are pinned on Richard Gennell, Trump's former special envoy for the Balkans, who has close ties to Belgrade and is a critic of Kurti."
However, Kurti reminds that Kosovo cooperated well with both American parties. "It was liberated in 1999 under Democrat Bill Clinton, and George Bush Jr., a Republican, was president in 2008 when it gained independence," writes the Swiss Noje cirher caitung.
Source: Deutsche Welle (DW)
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