Did Kurti achieve his goal with the ban on the dinar, or did he create a significant problem for himself and the government he leads?

“The current Kosovo Prime Minister is positioning himself as an Albanian leader who will eradicate the last traces of Serbian presence in Kosovo and Metohija. He has prioritized this goal regardless of the risk that his recent actions may backfire due to strained relations with the US and EU."

Edited by: Milos Garic

It has been nearly the entire month of February since Pristina began implementing the decision to ban the use of the dinar in Kosovo, and apart from the significant uproar due to what the Serbs consider the catastrophic consequences of this unilateral measure by Kurti's government, nothing concrete has changed in the approach of Western intermediaries.

Kurti faces strong criticism from Washington and Brussels and also risks internal challenges due to opposition attacks, fearing the consequences of disrupting relations between the Kosovo authorities and allies. However, his government shows no signs of backing down. He "admitted" that he "was not aware" of the Central Bank of Kosovo's decision to abolish the dinar, but he fully supports it and offers the Serbs only a transitional period to adjust to the new measure. Meanwhile, the situation in Serbian communities in Kosovo is becoming more dramatic, with people's basic livelihoods endangered due to the blockade of payments. At this moment, no one knows how the newly emerged crisis will end.

It may be too early to draw conclusions, but the question arises whether Kurti, with his recent drastic move, has achieved his goal or potentially created a significant problem for himself and the government he leads.

The goal - persecution of the Serbs

Historian and political analyst from Gracanica, Aleksandar Gudzic, points out that by confiscating and banning the dinar, as well as by raids on post offices and temporary institutions, Albin Kurti aims to present himself before his electorate as a politician who will eradicate the last traces of Serbian presence in Kosovo and Metohija.

"So, he will finish what previous political elites failed to do in 1999. These measures are taken to make life difficult for the Serbs and to force them to leave.

The Serbs are now getting used to not having dinars and are taking individual measures to solve the problem created by the regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo. Some go to the nearest branches of the NLB Bank in central Serbia and get Visa cards with which they can withdraw money in Kosovo and Metohija, others go to the nearest branches of the NLB Bank and post offices in central Serbia and withdraw dinars which they exchange for euros, but they do not give up," Gudzic explains for Kosovo Online.

He also gives an illustrative example.

"The determination of the Serbs to overcome this problem, but also the state of mind, is perhaps best illustrated by a humorous conversation between two acquaintances of mine, where one asks the other - Do you know what the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija have in common with Bill Gates? - No. The other one replies. - We Serbs and Bill Gates don't have paper money at home. If you stop Bill Gates on the streets of Manhattan, you won't find paper money with him, only cards he uses to pay bills. So, we will also pay our bills electronically like Bill Gates, but we won't leave from here," Gudzic conveys impressions among compatriots.

These measures have also affected other ethnic communities in Kosovo and Metohija that receive funds from Serbia. Tens of thousands of Albanians, Gorani people, and Turks are also suffering because of this measure.

"In the future, we can expect similar actions. Albin Kurti, namely, has nothing else to offer to his electorate except a negative attitude towards the Serbs. Conflicts and measures directed against the Serbs are necessary for him to draw the attention of the Albanian public in Kosovo away from some of the burning problems such as rising prices, declining living standards, and the fact that the economy of Kosovo has the highest deficit and is in the worst condition in the Balkans. These moves by Albin Kurti can bring him problems. Even the patrons of Kosovo's independence, representatives of Western democratic countries, are openly expressing their disagreement with him," Gudzic warns.

A journalist from Pristina, Fitim Ceku, believes that Kurti made a mistake with his latest decision.

"I don't have precise information about Kurti's intention to ban the dinar, but what I want to say is that Kurti's actions without international support are wrong. These decisions are damaging Kosovo in the international arena. Even the President of the Kosovo Assembly, Glauk Konjufca, said that the US had been right to criticize the government for the decision on the dinar. This means that with this decision to ban the dinar, Kurti has brought his government and Kosovo into trouble with international partners, or as the US Ambassador said, the partnership between the US and Kurti's government was jeopardized because of this decision made without agreement with the US and foreign governments," Ceku says for Kosovo Online.

How angry are the USA and the EU?

He points out that such an urgent ban on the dinar complicates the lives of Serbian citizens in northern Kosovo and other parts.

"I think that's why the United States and the EU are angry about this decision. Albin Kurti, regarding the decision on the dinar and any other decision regarding the northern part of Kosovo, must be coordinated with the United States and the European Union, which guarantee peace and stability in the Balkans," Ceku says.

Vuk Velebit, a political analyst and Executive Director of the Pupin Initiative points out to Kosovo Online that with each new decision, Albin Kurti further fuels instability in Kosovo and jeopardizes the lives of the Serbs.

"If you look at his entire policy, it comes down to creating tensions and the possibility of conflict between Kosovo Serbs and Albanians. In that context, I interpret his decision to ban the use of the dinar, which is intended to make life difficult for the Serbs so that they leave Kosovo. Kurti deliberately provokes new crises to force the international community to deal with each of his deliberately induced crises instead of engaging in the dialogue process. This approach aims to undermine the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities by creating conditions where the Serbs are no longer a political factor in Kosovo. The international community, despite condemning Kurti's actions, has no real response to Kurti's extremist policies that threaten the human and religious rights of the Serbs. Such a lack of international engagement in Kosovo could result in further escalation of tensions because Pristina does not relent in its policy of creating crises and tensions. Western partners must urgently move from condemnation and statements to concrete steps aimed at easing tensions in Kosovo," Velebit concludes.