Donic: Kurti's Balkan tour is an attempt to consolidate Kosovo-Albanian allies

The Balkan tour of Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti is his attempt to consolidate Kosovo-Albanian allies ahead of parliamentary elections and present himself as a regional leader, Petar Donic from the New Third Way stated.

“He is trying to establish himself as a regional leader, communicate with various states, and leverage his position as prime minister for electoral purposes,” Donic stated to Kosovo Online.

Donic views Kurti's tour as an effort to replicate the results of February 9, 2021, when he formed a government with parties from minority communities.

“The entire tour is marked by this pre-election tone,” Donic emphasized for Kosovo Online.

He believes Kurti's goal is to "consolidate his power" and expand his "zone of influence."

“He is certainly trying to consolidate his power. Naturally, that is in his interest, and he has been doing so from the start. Now, he is attempting to broaden his sphere of influence, and there are surely some effects of that. What those effects will be will become evident in the coming period and during the elections themselves,” Donic explained.

He further says that the post-election period will reveal whether Kurti succeeded in altering perceptions regarding European agreements as well as relations with the United States.

“The appointment of Trump's cabinet, including Richard Grenell as a special advisor, and other activities that America will carry out, will certainly have a slightly different tone compared to the Biden administration. How much impact this will have on Kurti's administration depends on his electoral results. If he manages to form a coalition without concessions and gains a majority plus minority parties, this will not hinder him in continuing to govern Kosovo. On the other hand, if he achieves poorer results and is forced to make compromises, the dynamic will be entirely different,” Donic remarked.

Commenting on the messages Kurti conveyed from Sarajevo, Zagreb, and Ljubljana, the analyst notes they do not deviate from his usual rhetoric.

“These were critical messages directed toward Serbia. While concentrated over a short time span during this tour, these messages are not significantly different from those delivered in previous years. I would view this instance as Kurti’s effort to consolidate traditional Kosovo-Albanian allies to garner support for his current campaign and, of course, in the context of shifting dynamics in America, where much uncertainty remains about how Trump’s cabinet will address the Balkans,” Donic concluded.