Andoni: Parties in Albania indifferent toward Kosovo during campaign, I don’t expect better relations between Rama and Kurti

Political analyst from Tirana, Ben Andoni, commenting on the elections in Albania, said that Kosovo had not had place or significance in the political campaign. He added that due to Edi Rama’s strong position in power and, as he sees it, Albin Kurti’s weak influence in Kosovo, he does not expect relations between Albania and Kosovo to improve in the future.

Andoni commented on the indifference of Albanian political parties toward Kosovo in this political campaign.

“In recent days, I have stated and published articles saying that Kosovo had no place or importance in the political campaign in Albania. There is great indifference, not only from the Socialist Party but also from the Democratic Party and other parties, toward Kosovo. The parties barely mentioned Kosovo at all. I believe that Mr. Rama’s dominant position in power and Mr. Kurti’s weak standing in Kosovo mean that good relations between Albania and Kosovo should not be expected. That is because Mr. Rama is the absolute protagonist in Albania, while Mr. Kurti, in the positions he holds in Kosovo, is unreliable for fostering these relations. Neither of them can offer the other space for cooperation. However, the connection between Albania and Kosovo is maintained by second- and third-level bureaucrats,” he said.

Andoni emphasized that nothing unexpected happened in the Albanian elections, which, he warned, could be bad news.

“If it is confirmed that the Socialist Party will have more than 80 parliamentary seats, then indeed, this will be bad news for Albania. First, because the opposition appears completely shattered. Second, because there will no longer be any political alternative to challenge Mr. Rama. Meanwhile, we don’t know what his true vision for the future is. I believe this is not a good day for democracy if this trend continues,” the analyst from Tirana said.

Andoni also does not believe that Albania will gain European Union membership during the current mandate.

“I believe this is a matter of European trends, but I think it will be very difficult. That is because Montenegro, which we compare ourselves to, has opened 27 chapters with the EU and has closed only six, while Albania has opened three chapter clusters, if I’m not mistaken, and hasn’t closed a single one. I don’t believe that Albania will join the European Union within this government’s mandate, especially if the EU doesn’t change the circumstances so that all of us, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro, can become part of it,” the analyst concluded.