High US official: No one in the US supported Kurti in his policy in the north of Kosovo

Aljbin Kurti
Source: Ekonomia Online

An unnamed High US official told the Albanian Post that no one in the US had supported Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti's policy in the north and that no one had given him secret support for the moves he was making, stressing that Kurti's reckless actions had damaged relations between Kosovo and the US.

It was in November 2022 when Kurti at a press conference accused the journalist of not understanding exactly what the spokesperson of the US State Department said, and because of that "misquoting, he was asking the wrong question", the Albanian Post writes, analyzing the actions of the Kosovo authorities and their relationship with international representatives.

State Department spokesman Ned Price said at a press conference that the Government of Kosovo did not listen to the US either in public or in private requests regarding the implementation of the decision on illegal license plates, but when the journalist conveyed this to Kurti, he said that "he does not know who reads those statements and how they are interpreted, because he is in constant communication with the US officials".

According to the Albanian media, Kurt started one of the "most sophisticated official conspiracies in recent times".

Doing the opposite of those who have always been his allies, but insisting that he is in constant coordination with them, a story began to circulate about how "someone" and that "someone in a very high position", is secretly telling Kurt to "stay on the course".

Kosovo was warned of sanctions for non-coordination, and then the US and the EU imposed measures on Kosovo at various levels, but despite this, a large number of people continued to believe in the explanation that there is "someone in a high position telling them to continue" with their policies.

Commenting on these speculations, a High official of the US State Department told the Albanian Post that "there is no such thing as secret coordination, nor has there ever been."

"No one in Washington or any other Western capital told Prime Minister Albin Kurti, or indirectly encouraged him, to pursue a course that brings Kosovo into collision with its main allies," the US official told The Albanian Post.

 He added that the truth was quite the opposite of the stories that had been circulating.

"The truth is the opposite, we are disappointed with the Government of Kosovo, which did not take into account the advice of the main allies," the unnamed US official said.

Rumors about behind-the-scenes coordination continued even when the differences in the public became greater than ever, as when the Kosovo government suddenly decided to send four Albanian mayors accompanied by the police to municipal facilities in Leposavic, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and North Mitrovica, to perform their duties from there.

Opposition from local Serbs led to protests.

The Quint and the European Union believe that Kosovo is responsible for the escalation, calling the action unnecessary and asking for a withdrawal, but despite the opposition of the public and allies, Kurti continued to say that the coordination with the allies is excellent, especially with the US, the Albanian Post writes.

"The relations between Kosovo and the United States of America are excellent, like all our relations in the international arena," Kurti told reporters, at the height of America's opposition to his actions.

The Special Envoy of the US for the Balkans, who participates in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Gabriel Escobar, held an unusual meeting with Kosovo journalists where he said that Kurti had completely surprised the USA with his actions.

"We see that decisions are being made despite our requests, it's a kind of signal for us, and we can't accept it. We and our allies are completely confused as to why this is happening. Where this lack of coordination, this lack of flexibility, and lack of political vision lead," Escobar asked on that occasion.

He added that this was not just an American attitude.

"It is the position of the entire transatlantic community, not only us, not only the 27 EU countries, not only the United Kingdom but the entire transatlantic community. We all see the same thing," Escobar said.

Escobar's address followed a meeting he had with Kurti and EU dialogue mediator Miroslav Lajcak, where they did not agree on a joint solution.

Escobar said that the US stood by the people of Kosovo and added that they had no reason to stand by an individual who would not cooperate.

According to the Albanian Post, Escobar's honesty might not have changed the situation, as long as the US ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, did not speak in a similar tone, saying something completely unexpected - that the US is introducing a punitive measure for the first time - and that was the cancellation of the participation of the Kosovo forces in the joint exercise "Defender 2023" for which they were preparing.

The government in Kosovo would minimize this also, as well as measures to ban financial programs for Kosovo from the EU, playing with the idea that despite the official line, somewhere there is someone telling Kurti to continue with his policy.

Namely, in the answer of the US official to the Albanian Post, this whole situation in the north, which, despite some agreements, is still under constant tension, "seriously affected the relations between the US and Kosovo".

"Stability in the Western Balkans is in the interest of the United States of America," the US official says.

He adds that the events in Ukraine have made this interest even more important.

"Events in Ukraine have already made this interest more important. Instead of working with its allies and acting as a reliable partner, the Government of Kosovo acts uncoordinated, as someone who can manage the situation without an agreement with the partners. This is reckless and dangerous," the US official believes.

The Albanian Post adds that this is not the first time that a Prime Minister of Kosovo has created a fairy tale parallel to reality.

When Ramush Haradinaj was Prime Minister and the entire diplomatic corps called on him to waive 100 percent of the tax on Serbian goods, even offering him visa liberalization as counter-currency, he refused them all with the behind-the-scenes story that there was someone important from the international community who was telling him to keep his policy. No one, not even his close associates, not even Haradinaj himself, knows who the person is who ultimately led him to lose the position of Prime Minister, according to the Albanian Post.

As, among other things, the text adds, the tax was abolished without anything in return.