Unification of Albanian parties in Montenegro: Better roads in Ulcinj or a path toward a “Greater Albania”?

The unification of three key Albanian political parties in Montenegro into the Albanian Forum is being viewed in Belgrade with caution and as a possible step toward realizing the long-standing Albanian aspiration of creating a “Greater Albania.” By contrast, analysts in Podgorica and Tirana see it as an internal political development that could strengthen the influence of Albanians in Montenegro’s central government and improve their position at the local level.

Written by: Darko Savanovic

At the end of May, three major Albanian parties in Montenegro united to form a new political entity, the Albanian Forum. The Democratic Alliance of Albanians, Albanian Alternative, and Albanian National Union formally merged into a single political organization. The agreement was signed during a ceremonial session of the parties’ main boards in Tuzi, located 12 kilometers from Podgorica on the road leading to the border crossing with Albania.

According to the Albanian Forum, the move formalizes the political unity of Albanians in Montenegro with the aim of strengthening political representation, protecting national interests, preserving and promoting national identity, language and culture, contributing to democratic and economic development, the rule of law, European integration, and the prosperity of all citizens.

The Albanian Forum is the largest Albanian political entity in the modern parliamentary history of Montenegro. Until the constituent congress is held, its leader will be Nik Gjeloshaj, one of Montenegro’s six deputy prime ministers and former leader of the Albanian Alternative.

The Forum has announced that it intends to be a factor of stability, development, integration, and political empowerment for Albanians in Montenegro.

From Belgrade’s perspective, however, other considerations may also be at play.

“A Threat and a Response”

Serbia’s Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, Demo Berisa, assessed that the unification of Albanian parties in Montenegro represents a threat because, in his view, it constitutes a step toward achieving the centuries-old Albanian aspiration of creating a “Greater Albania.”

He believes that the initiative launched by the president of Montenegro’s Democratic People's Party, Milan Knezevic, calling for Montenegro to withdraw its recognition of Kosovo, is a response to these developments.

“What is happening is dangerous. The unification of Albanian political actors in Montenegro is, in fact, a path toward creating something that has long been an Albanian aspiration — a ‘Greater Albania.’ What Mr. Knezevic and certain municipalities with a Serbian majority in Montenegro have initiated is precisely a response to that issue,” Berisa told Kosovo Online.

Both a National and a Political Issue

According to Montenegrin commentator and publicist Perica Djakovic, the consolidation of Albanian parties is not a new topic. He explained that the idea periodically resurfaces in Montenegro’s political life, particularly ahead of elections.

As Djakovic told Kosovo Online, the concept is based on the idea that Albanian parties should act in a unified manner in order to achieve greater political influence and more effectively represent the interests of the Albanian community. In practice, however, this has often been difficult due to differing political programs and priorities, varying approaches to cooperation with major Montenegrin parties, and regional interests in Ulcinj, Tuzi, Plav, Gusinje, and other areas with significant Albanian populations.

He noted that Albanian political actors in Montenegro have previously formed coalitions to increase their parliamentary representation and strengthen their bargaining position during government formation.

According to Djakovic, minority parties often play a decisive role in Montenegro’s political system when governments are formed, making the issue of unification primarily a political and strategic question rather than merely a national one.

“The process of unifying Albanian political parties in Montenegro has taken concrete form through the creation of the Albanian Forum. Supporters argue that it is a logical continuation of cooperation that has already produced positive results in Tuzi, as well as at the state level through parliamentary representation and participation in government. The goal is not only to preserve influence in Tuzi, but also to strengthen positions in Ulcinj and at the national level,” Djakovic said.

He added that some political analysts and members of the public across the Balkans view the process within a broader regional context, warning that a stronger and unified Albanian political factor could generate additional political tensions if linked to national issues beyond the framework of civic and minority politics.

According to him, it remains to be seen whether other Albanian political structures will join the project, as the leaders of the new Forum have publicly invited all Albanian parties to cooperate and become part of the common political platform.

“From a political standpoint, the unification of Albanian parties through the Albanian Forum could be much more significant than it appears at first glance, because in Montenegro even one or two parliamentary seats often determine who forms the government. The unification comes at a time when the country is approaching the final stages of negotiations with the European Union, making minority rights and political representation even more prominent issues,” Djakovic emphasized.

In the long term, if support continues to grow as some surveys and political assessments suggest, he believes the Albanian Forum could become what the Bosniak Party has been for years — an indispensable factor in the formation of almost every future government.

“The real question is not whether the Albanian Forum will win a large number of seats on its own, but whether it will become the political kingmaker between the blocs gathered around the Democratic Party of Socialists, the Europe Now Movement, and the For the Future of Montenegro. That is where its true significance lies,” he said.

Pragmatism Rather Than Nationalism

Political analyst Ben Andoni from Tirana believes that the merger of the three Albanian parties in Montenegro is unlikely to produce major results, particularly because the demographic influence of Albanians in Montenegro is not especially large.

“Some Albanians have left Montenegro and continue to do so. Demographically, Albanian influence there is not particularly strong. This union will help the interests of this group because they will no longer be weakened by internal disputes and will be able to function more effectively at the local level. However, it is very difficult for them to exert substantial influence in the central government. I believe that the opportunity once given to former Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic will be very difficult to replicate,” Andoni told Kosovo Online.

He believes that Albanians in Montenegro have become increasingly pragmatic in their political approach and have begun to recognize the advantages of unity, particularly as Montenegro is expected to become the first Western Balkan country to join the European Union.

“As part of the European Union, the nationalist card will inevitably lose importance or become much less significant. Pragmatic alternatives will matter more to Albanians,” Andoni said.

He added that official Tirana maintains communication with representatives of the Albanian community in Montenegro, especially on cultural and political issues, but noted that Albanians in Montenegro have gradually become more distant from both Albania and Kosovo.

“This is primarily because the country in which they live is more developed than Albania or Kosovo, and secondly because their main interests lie within Montenegro itself. For that reason, I believe the call for unification originated from within Montenegro rather than from outside. They understand that they can gain significant benefits from this integration,” Andoni explained.

He also argued that the merger does not fully correspond to claims that it is being undertaken solely for the broader future of Albanians as a whole.

“That is because only three political forces joined the initiative, while other Albanian political parties chose not to participate,” Andoni concluded.