Maliqi: The US will not forget Kurti's arrogance

Political analyst Shkelzen Maliqi tells Kosovo Online that the US will not forget Albin Kurti's arrogance over the past two years and added that the Kosovo Prime Minister must realize that "without the support of major powers, the problem of Kosovo cannot be resolved."

"I don't know what this leadership under Kurti can expect because, for a long time, it has been relatively boycotted by US officials. This might be the last opportunity for them to attend the Democratic Party convention – which has a chance to win the elections in November – and perhaps to have discussions or even meet Kamala Harris and representatives of the future US administration. I was surprised that he was even invited, as they have been clearly boycotted over the past year, and Kurti himself has boycotted and been arrogant toward the ambassador and diplomats involved in the dialogue," Maliqi said.

He added that the new US administration might be somewhat open since it is still interested in Kosovo.

"That is something I see as positive, but I think they won’t forget these past two years when Kurti played the role of a defiant, arrogant figure who set conditions for both the US administration and the EU, showing a kind of arrogance and overconfidence, as if he knows better than the Americans what democracy is and when a bridge should be opened. Kosovo has the right to make decisions on these matters, but these issues are always much more complex. The Americans and the EU view the situation in Kosovo, the dialogue, and everything else as more complex, and they are counting on both sides," our interlocutor noted.

In his view, over the past two years, both Belgrade and Pristina have in some way boycotted and obstructed the dialogue, and both Vucic and Kurti have done this to buy time and avoid taking unpopular measures.

"The essence of the entire process was to resolve issues one by one, in order, and to approach the problem as a whole," Maliqi emphasized, adding that the problem of Kosovo is not just Serbia's problem or Pristina's problem but a regional one.

He believes that the biggest victims in this process have been the Kosovo Serbs in the north and that their withdrawal from institutions created a vacuum that allowed Kurti to act as he has, without coordinating with KFOR.

"Now we need to see what he can expect from Kamala Harris – not that America will change its position, but that he will realize that without the support of major powers, the Kosovo problem cannot be solved. We can't rely on the Council of Europe either, as Kosovo has been under sanctions for a year because it hasn't fulfilled its obligations," Maliqi reminded.

He adds that in the fall and spring, it will become clear whether there will be any changes in strategy, but it is certain that both Brussels and Washington will insist on the implementation of what has been agreed and documented.

He also points out that Kurti previously tried to win in Kosovo without US support, but now both he and Vjosa Osmani, at least in their statements, claim that they have the best relations with the US, "even though they sometimes don't understand each other."