Eight Albanian parties from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja compete with the joint list of Albanian coalitions in early parliamentary elections held this Sunday, October 25th, in Serbia, with the aim of increasing their representation in the Assembly.
After years of divisions and rivalry, the parties joined the mediating of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
They aim to win three mandates in Serbia’s Parliament, where the Albanian community had only one MP in the past composition.
On the eve of the elections, Kurti and Kosovo President Justina Shiroka Pula called on Albanians of these municipalities living in Kosovo and have the right to go to their homeland to vote.
In the message published on October 24th, Kurti sincerely requested support for the Albanian coalition, which keeps the number 17 on the ballot.
The discrimination, exclusion, and oppression require a firm democratic response. With solidarity. Persistently. With participation, he said.
Kurti added that Presevo Albanians, Bujanovac and Medvedja have the right to build life in their homeland, with equal opportunities.
Shiroka Pula, in her 24 October call, stressed the importance of participating in strengthening the political representation of Albanians.
The Union is the key to stronger political representation. So together on the list and on the vote together. For more Albanian deputies in Serbia’s Parliament, she said.
According to 2022 census, more than 60,000 Albanians live in Serbia.
From Distinction to Common List
In a statement to Radio Free Europe, published on October 1st, Wisar Memeti, leader of the Alternative for Change, said the agreement for the union of parties was reached at the second meeting, thanks to Kurti’s mediation.
By 2020 we had three deputies, then we split up, and the result was an MP. Our aim now is to win three deputies again; hence our strength in Serbia’s Parliament will be much greater, Memeti said.
Shaip Kamberi, leader of the Party for Democratic Action and sole representative of the Albanian community in past composition of the Parliament, told REL that parties had opposing positions on participating in elections, demands and joint actions.
According to him, these differences were overcome through the mediation and advice of Kosovo’s prime minister.
The parties that participated in elections independently in 2022/2023, off our list that was majority, found it difficult to win a mandate without joining. Now, apparently, they understood this and we got to that result, Kamber said.
Kamberi and Memeti said they had agreed to joint action even after the elections. Memeti said the decision to support the future government or remain in opposition would be taken after the vote.
An effort to unite Albanian parties was undertaken in 2020, at the initiative of official Tirana, but then one of the parties did not join the list.
Who is in the coalition, and what is it?
In the Albanian coalition, the Party for Democratic Action, the Alternative for Change, the Democratic Party, the Albanian Democratic Party, the Movement for Democratic Progress, the Movement for Reform, the Alternative for the Valley and the Democratic Union of Albanians.
The parties aim to implement a seven-point plan, agreed earlier with Serbia’s Government. It includes representation of Albanians in state institutions, economic recovery of the Presevo Valley municipalities and official use of Albanian language, writing and national symbols.
Albanian representatives for years complain of discrimination, including employment, education and institutional representation. Official Belgrade denies accusations of discrimination.
Burhan Behluli, editor-in-chief of Spectre TV in Bujanoc, told REL that citizens for years have been urging Albanian parties to unite for representation of their interests at the central level.
I believe that the mood on the ground and citizens’ growing distrust of current politicians have influenced them to see their position more realistically and accept the agreement, he praised in the declaration released on October 1st.
Pristina role and post-election expectations
The agreement between Albanian parties gives Pristina a role even beyond joining an election list.
According to Shaip Kamberi, its 5th article envisions the involvement of Kosovo’s prime minister in consultations on key strategic issues.
Kurti, on September 30th, described the joint presentation as a potentially important and historic step in the fight against what he called discrimination and exclusion, as well as ethnic administrative cleansing in Serbia.
He reiterated the requirement for Albanians in Serbia to have similar rights with Serbs in Kosovo, including seats reserved in the Assembly.
But, Belgzim Kamberi, from the Institute for Social Policy ʹMoussie Koklari’s Institute in Pristina, told the REL that a greater parliamentary representation is not enough in itself.
The true value of this representation will be measured, above all, with the impact on the economic development and well-being of the citizens of Presevo, Bujanoc and Medvedja, representation in institutions, advancing individual and collective rights and restoring the problems of this area to the political agenda, he said.
According to him, the priority for Albanian deputies should be concrete results in employment, education, use of Albanian language, implementing existing agreements and addressing the issue of passive address. / REL
Source Layer: Dukeagini