Cipa: Albanian lobby strong in America, can influence the presidential elections

Political analyst from Tirana, Aleksander Cipa, told Kosovo Online that the Albanian community in the US is the third largest immigrant group and will have a certain level of influence not only as participants in the electoral process but also as a lobby supporting one or the other main party candidates.

He notes that Democrats are closer to Albanian interests, but there is currently a difference compared to the elections four years ago, as the interest of Albanians in Republicans is also related to the internal American reality.

"It is understood that Democrats have supported more Albanian goals and interests in the Western Balkans. In the early years of Biden's presidency, there was a positive approach for us regarding unresolved issues of Kosovo in relation to Serbia. Additionally, the approach was positive concerning the interest shown by Biden's administration for Albanians, considering them a strategic ally in the Balkans. This has been concretized in several protocols and bilateral agreements between the US, Albania, and Kosovo," the analyst from Tirana states.

However, Cipa emphasizes that in the second part of Biden's presidency, there was a change, and American policy became more interested in Serbia.

"There are unresolved issues, especially the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and this was the focus of Washington. For this reason, a special American envoy to the Balkans was appointed to monitor this process. However, in the second part of Biden's presidency, it is evident that things are being done somewhat differently. American policy is interested in bringing Serbia, which they want to remove from Russian influence, closer to the EU membership process. American diplomacy is more dedicated to bringing the US closer. The Serbian lobby in the US invests significantly in this direction, creating the impression that Republicans are closer to Serbia than to Albanians in general," he notes.

He explains that Albanians are mainly concentrated in New York, Massachusetts, and Boston, where they have a tradition of representation and participation in American public life.

"There are also Albanians in other American states, especially in coastal areas. The number of Albanian voters increases every year as they obtain US citizenship. Compared to the previous elections, there are now five percent more Albanian voters," says our interlocutor.

Regarding party choice, he notes that it is understood that Albanians consider Democrats to be closer to Albanian interests.

"Not only pragmatically, but also by helping to increase the capacities of institutions in Albania and Kosovo, as well as in relation to geopolitical events in the region, especially with the intention of the two states to integrate into the European Union. Meanwhile, Republicans have had a more pragmatic approach, as seen from Trump's views. Trump's principle is 'America First,' and it seems that this overshadows the American approach as a leader in processes in our region, especially concerning the specific interests that Albanians have in relation to their neighbors, mainly Serbia," Cipa assesses.