In a joint press conference held today in Rome, Italy, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, urged the European Union to reevaluate its statement on Kosovo and its stance toward Serbia.
Rama highlighted that the European Union should strongly condemn Serbia’s recent decision to declare a three-day period of mourning to honor individuals who attacked the Kosovo Police, resulting in the tragic death of officer Afrim Bunjaku.
Rama stated, “To address our position for the first time, at least within the past decade, in contrast to the European Union’s foreign policy statement, this stance is related to the fact that the European Union’s statement, while not inherently problematic, fails to align with recent events. We find it impossible to align ourselves with the European Union without a secondary statement that addresses the recent developments. These events involved a dramatic incident where a Kosovo Police officer lost his life due to an evidently criminal group committed to carrying out acts of terror in northern Kosovo. This was followed by Belgrade’s declaration of a national day of mourning”.
Rama stressed, “Such actions are unacceptable, unjustifiable, and ultimately un-European. Moreover, this is the worst message that Serbia could send to the entire region and to Europe at this critical juncture. We have called upon the European Union and the broader Euro-Atlantic community to raise their voices at the highest level and utilize all available means to convey the appropriate response to this entirely unacceptable message stemming from Belgrade’s declaration of national mourning. Until a second statement from the European Union is issued to address these recent events fairly, we will not endorse the initial statement”.
He continued, “Once the second statement is issued, and if it reflects the actions we have requested, we will have no reservations about supporting the initial statement. Regardless of Serbia’s actions, which we are actively addressing in our discussions with them, we will not relent on any of the demands made by the European Union and the Euro-Atlantic community concerning Kosovo. At this moment, our position is entirely aligned with that of the European Union and the Euro-Atlantic community. However, I reiterate, this is the moment to unequivocally condemn the recent developments in northern Kosovo and the subsequent declaration of a national day of mourning in Belgrade, which glorifies the involvement of a criminal group in carrying out acts of terror in northern Kosovo”.
This statement comes in response to the escalating tensions in the region and Serbia’s actions following the tragic incident in northern Kosovo.
Earlier in the day, sources told Euronews Albania that for the first time, Albania did not align itself with the European Union’s statement on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue made by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, on September 19, regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
