Drecun: Major battle ahead between Kurti and PDK for diaspora votes

Former Chairman of the Serbian National Assembly’s Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs Milovan Drecun said that Self-Determination, led by Albin Kurti, and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) were competing for the support of the Albanian diaspora, noting that rallies in support of former KLA leaders could also be used for political purposes, particularly ahead of possible new elections.

Drecun recalled that Kurti had conducted an intensive campaign among the diaspora over the past year, which produced results in the elections held around the New Year holidays.

According to him, Kurti is now once again seeking to secure as much support as possible among Albanians in the diaspora through measures targeting the Serbian population, as well as by emphasizing the KLA’s struggle.

“The Albanian diaspora is fairly independent economically. Its members have significantly higher incomes than the population in Kosovo and Metohija, but they have always been highly radical in their support for the Greater Albania idea and project. They always stand behind those at the forefront of implementing that Greater Albania plan, such as Albin Kurti, and they are prepared to support them,” Drecun told Kosovo Online.

He pointed out that the Democratic Party of Kosovo, founded by Hashim Thaci, was also seeking to use the protests for political purposes and attract to its side some of the voters who had previously supported Kurti.

“The question now is whether the PDK will succeed in winning over part of the electorate that shifted to Kurti. We are facing a major battle for diaspora votes between Kurti and the Democratic Party of Kosovo,” Drecun said.

He noted that it was still impossible to assess which side would secure greater support, but said that Kurti had reason to monitor sentiment among diaspora voters particularly closely, given the possibility that the PDK could gain strength.

Drecun added that the protests could continue and that the PDK was seeking to present itself as the only political force defending former KLA members and Hashim Thaci.

“They are trying to build a new political image around Hashim Thaci that could significantly increase their share of the vote,” Drecun concluded.