Who is Who - Enkel Rexhepi: Albanian language professor and critic of the Brussels Agreement

The new President of the National Council of Albanians in Serbia, Enkel Rexhepi, a member of the Party for Democratic Action and a professor of the Albanian language, has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the situation of Albanians in the "Presevo Valley." He has also criticized the Brussels Agreement, stating that it has not contributed to a better quality of life in southern Serbia.

Rexhepi will replace Nevzad Lutfiu as head of the Council. This "rotation" was agreed upon in a coalition deal from 2022 between several Albanian political entities in the "Presevo Valley," including the Party for Democratic Action and the Movement for Democratic Progress.

Rexhepi will lead the Council for the next two years, the same duration as Lutfiu, fulfilling the four-year term.

He was previously a member of the Provisional Body that governed the National Council of Albanians from March to May 2023, until elections were held.

In March 2023, after two months of unsuccessful negotiations among representatives of five political parties on who would lead the National Council, Serbia's Ministry for Human and Minority Rights formed a Provisional Body to manage the Council until elections. Ragmi Mustafa headed this body, with Rexhepi serving as one of its members.

In May of that year, the Electoral Assembly in Bujanovac selected all 15 members of the National Council of the Albanian National Minority. The list led by Enkel Rexhepi, supported by the Party for Democratic Action, the Democratic Party, the Movement for Democratic Progress, and the Democratic Party of Albanians, won the majority with 10 seats.

Before the elections, the Party for Democratic Action led by Shaip Kamberi, the Movement for Democratic Progress led by Shqiprim Musliu, the Democratic Party led by Nagip Arifi, and the Democratic Party of Albanians led by Ragmi Mustafa had reached an agreement on a joint electoral list and management of the Albanian Council. This arrangement did not sit well with former Presevo Municipality President Shqiprim Arifi, whose Alternative for Changes party remained in the minority with five seats.

Arifi accused the ruling party in Kosovo, Albin Kurti's Self-Determination Movement, of financing his political rivals in the Alternative party.

Both Self-Determination and representatives of Albanian parties in Bujanovac denied these accusations.

"The agreement and coalition were made to ensure the Albanian Council would not be dissolved," Rexhepi said at the time, as the leader of the joint electoral list.

Eight years ago, Enkel Rexhepi was temporarily detained, allegedly for "displaying the Albanian flag" in Presevo, which, in 2016 drew criticism from the Human Rights Committee, of which he was a member.

According to the organization, he did not display the Albanian flag "in its official form" but instead presented a historical evolution of Albanian flags on A4 paper as part of an artistic performance.

Rexhepi has also commented on the Brussels Agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, stating that it has not improved the quality of life in southern Serbia in any way.