How does the communication breakdown between Kurti and Rama affect Kosovo-Albania relations?

The tensions between Edi Rama and Albin Kurti have been present for a long time, but according to politicians from Albania and Kosovo, the relations between Tirana and Pristina are not in crisis. For tomorrow’s Albanian Flag Day, there are no announced joint sessions of the governments or parliaments, and most citizens believe that relations between Albania and Kosovo are not good. However, despite not meeting Kurti during his visit to Kosovo last summer, Rama stated from Pristina: “When Albania and Kosovo go beyond borders, they are one.”

By: Dusica Radeka Djordjevic

Albanian Prime Minister Rama's statement aligns with remarks by Albanian Assembly Speaker Elisa Spiropali, who was proposed for the position by Rama, saying, "Kosovo is Albania's national priority."

Albania’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Petrit Malaj, recently said that relations between Pristina and Tirana have never been better and that the two governments are successfully implementing agreements made at joint meetings. He also noted that the two prime ministers, Albin Kurti and Edi Rama, are working to further strengthen ties.

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca denied claims that the two prime ministers have frozen relations. However, last week, Pristina hosted a meeting between the governments of Kosovo and North Macedonia. Since Rama canceled the joint session of the Kosovo and Albanian governments scheduled for June 14, 2023, in Djakovica, no new session has been organized. The first session of the two governments was held in Prizren on January 11, 2014, and these meetings have taken place annually since then.

Public Perception and Political Context

Dritan Laçi, editor at News 24 TV in Tirana, told Kosovo Online that while politicians in Kosovo and Albania claim relations between Pristina and Tirana are excellent, citizens have a different view.

„According to surveys, more than 52% of Kosovo citizens believe the relations between the two countries are not where they should be, and over 60% of people in Albania say the relations are not good. When we talk about relations between the two countries, we are talking about citizens' interests. This especially applies to Kosovo, which needs Albania’s help more than Albania needs Kosovo. It is clear that Kosovo citizens feel this lack of support more acutely,” said Laçi.

He added that the ruling majority in both Kosovo and Albania is currently not focused on mutual relations, with election campaigns dominating in Albania and political issues taking priority over economic concerns for citizens in Kosovo.

Kurti's Position and Independence from Rama

“I have the impression that Mr. Kurti, during his tenure as prime minister, has tried to distance himself from being under the ‘tutorship’ of Albania’s prime minister. While Rama may have tried to bring him under his umbrella, Kurti sought to give his government in Kosovo its own identity and establish its own policies. He wanted to show that he is independent, that Kosovo should make its own decisions, even though it is not a full member of international organizations. In any case, Kurti has sought to differentiate Kosovo’s policies from Albania’s rather than fully align with them. This is not just to assert his strength but to emphasize what Kosovo will be in the future. Perhaps he believed it would benefit Kosovo more not to be seen as Albania’s satellite,” Laçi explained.

Disagreements Between Kurti and Rama

Political analyst Arbnor Sadiku from Pristina pointed out that in recent years, there have been no good relations between Rama and Kurti due to disagreements over what steps Kosovo should take to join international organizations and in its relations with other states.

“Rama and Kurti currently have poor relations. They have issues cooperating and disagree on the steps Kosovo needs to take in collaboration with the U.S. and the EU, as well as regarding its relations with Western Balkan countries,” Sadiku told Kosovo Online.

Cooperation with North Macedonia

On the other hand, Sadiku noted, Kurti has a good relationship with North Macedonia and its Prime Minister, Hristijan Mickoski, largely due to his positive relations with Albanian parties in North Macedonia's government.

Underlying Relations Between Albania and Kosovo

Demo Berisha, president of Matica Albanaca in Serbia, described relations between Tirana and Pristina as “dormant” but emphasized the distinction between the relationship of the two prime ministers and what happens “under the radar” at lower levels, where Albania and Kosovo continue to act in unity.

As an example of shared goals between Tirana and Pristina, regardless of the poor relations between the two prime ministers, Berisha cited a recent visit by Shaip Kamberi, an MP in Serbia’s Assembly, to Tirana. During the visit, Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to advocate for the rights of Albanians in the Presevo Valley.

“The real relations between Pristina and Tirana are those happening ‘under the radar,’ while what we see publicly is a complete cooling of relations between Edi Rama, Albin Kurti, and Vjosa Osmani. On the other hand, Albanian President Bajram Begaj has a completely different approach. He aims for a national stance, while Rama pushes for economic cooperation,” Berisha told Kosovo Online.

Berisha also pointed out that communication between Albania and Kosovo exists at ministerial and lower levels, citing as an example the practical abolition of the border between Kosovo and Albania during the summer holidays.

Open Balkan and Diverging Visions

The complete cooling of relations between Rama and Kurti, Berisha said, occurred when Rama directly supported the Open Balkan initiative.

“Rama is focused on Albania’s economic development, while Kurti and his team try to live on the false patriotism cultivated over the past few years with the euphoria of ‘victory over Serbia.’ The conflict between Rama, Osmani, and Kurti also stems from Rama’s unwillingness to condemn or, as they often say, name what happened in 1999. Rama is expected to say that Serbia committed genocide in Kosovo, but he calls it a war crime. Perhaps he is partially right, as wars bring such things, including victims,” Berisha concluded.

He recalled that North Macedonia and Kosovo have held two joint government sessions so far, as Kosovo and Albania’s governments did in the past. However, he doubts there will be any significant joint ceremonies between Pristina and Tirana by the end of the year, as Kurti is entering the final phase of his election campaign and is struggling with a noticeable drop in popularity.