Anatomy of Kurti's Politics: Why are we so close to conflict?

What is the cause of Albin Kurti's current behavior and political actions, which after the latest high-risk adventure in the north of Kosovo, even his most faithful sympathizers and collaborators from Self-Determination find it increasingly difficult to justify?

Constant provoking and insulting the Serbs and official Belgrade has long been a trademark of Kurti's politics, and we have learned that, but his unbridled impudence and increasingly frequent insults at the expense of the US administration are already something that is not easy to explain.

Persistent refusal to listen to Washington's advice, especially regarding the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and the land of the Visoki Decani Monastery, the defiance with which he often does so, and then the latter refusal to stop provoking conflicts in the north of Kosovo, his underestimating behavior towards Ambassador Hovenier and inappropriate remarks at the expense of the US Secretary of State, all this indicates that Kurti is a man with dangerous intentions, who acts outside the rational political space, and now apparently according to the "stray bullet" system.

It's no secret that Kurti has clearly shown his extreme personality side from the very beginning of his involvement in politics, more than 20 years ago. If one word should describe him, then it is probably the most accurate - fanaticism. Physical confrontations, street riots, tear gas, destruction of property, and even human casualties. He didn't care about the price.

And while this tendency of his, during the opposition struggle, was acceptable to many, even desirable, and thanks to it he reached record popularity and took power, now that his behavior threatens to cause unfathomable consequences for Kosovo and the security of the entire region, it is less and less those who smile when they see what the Prime Minister of Kosovo is doing.

Kurti's obsession with the view that the Serbs are fascists and criminals, whom he must subdue with weapons, is, unfortunately, the basis of political action – a kind of his mission. When at the same time you hear how fanatically he believes in the unjustified notion that Kosovo is the most democratic country in the world and that its implementation of democracy and the rule of law is better than America's, then you realize that in Kurti's case, the things turned sour.

The messages that he cares about the alliance and the best relations with the US now sound completely trivial, because it is clear that they are deeply insincere, and the leader of Self-Determination in action shows that he sees American aid and support only as a tool for the realization of his hypertrophied political ambitions. And that was fully revealed in the previous days, during extremely tense moments in Leposavic, Zvecan, and Zubin Potok, from where, despite all requests, he does not want to withdraw his special police.

Kurti's message that the US Secretary of State is "naive" regarding the events in the north of Kosovo speaks of another striking fact. The current Prime Minister of Kosovo thinks that he is more important and smarter than everyone, including the people who lead US politics.

How is it possible?

It is difficult and ungrateful to assume the role of a political psychologist, but the anatomy of Kurti's politics in terms of its basic structure shows that its building material is a complete disrespect for opposing views, rights, and opinions. It is a basic component of his ideology and actions. In Kurti's approach, there is no acceptance of the dignity of the human person, who thinks differently from him, and who wants the same rights as him, that's why Kurti equally practices lies and violence as ways of struggle.

Like all fanaticism, Kurti has religious sources, but it easily and quickly moves into the national and political sphere. The national and political fanatic sees the man he disagrees with in the form of the devil, and this explains Kurti's inquisitorial preference for special police methods against the Serbs. According to Kurti, let's remind you, the Serbs are nothing but criminals and fascists, and he believes that he can only solve the problem with them by force. Part to expel, part to arrest, and the use of firearms in the backs of bare-handed people is already a tried and allowed method by his Special Forces.

For the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the Serbs are heretics who should be exterminated and nothing else. Such intolerance, therefore, leads him to violence, ostracism, throwing people into dungeons, and punishment.

Fanaticism always divides the world into two hostile camps. It is a war division. Fanaticism does not allow different ideas and views of the world to coexist. There is only the enemy. That's why Kurti treats everyone and everything cruelly and mercilessly, except for his driving idea.

In such circumstances, dialogue, normalization, tolerance, cooperation, and compromise - not only do not exist but they are also forbidden terms. That is why we are where we are today.

Written by: Milos Garic, editor of the Kosovo Online portal