For some time now, Albania has been heading in the wrong direction, not standing by Kosovo\u2019s side.<\/p>\n
This was the stance expressed by the chairman of the Democratic Party, Lulzim Basha, in his interview for the \u201cInside Albania\u201d podcast with Alice Taylor.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlbania is far behind with its agenda of supporting Kosovo and reflecting Euro-Atlantic values and principles in regional foreign policy. I say this without hesitation. For a long time, Albania has been heading in the wrong direction by considering Belgrade as a reliable partner, creating unnecessary distance from the emancipated capitals of the region, which share the same Euro-Atlantic values and agenda, such as Zagreb or Sofia and others,\u201d stated Basha.<\/p>\n
He added that by appointing Aleksandar Vulin as Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia, President Aleksandar Vu\u010di\u0107 has openly shown his intentions.<\/p>\n
\u201cVulin has been declared non grata because he is seen as Vladimir Putin’s advocate in the Balkans. But Vu\u010di\u0107 made him deputy prime minister. Vu\u010di\u0107 has told us, at least he has been honest that he will await the right circumstances regarding Kosovo and the so-called Serbian imperial agenda. For a long time, Vu\u010di\u0107 has talked the West\u2019s talk but has walked Moscow\u2019s walk. He supports the re-creation of a Serbian empire with Belgrade at its center, with the division of Republika Srpska, with Montenegro being used as Belarus to Belgrade. As a prelude to this, there has been an attempt to forcibly take parts of Kosovo, an independent state, by imposing the reality of the division of northern Kosovo. This is a threat to peace and stability in the Balkans. We should not expect Vu\u010di\u0107 to roll the dice. We must stop him now!\u201d<\/p>\n
Therefore, Basha called for Albania to play a more proactive role in the region and not hesitate in supporting Kosovo.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlbania has a major role. We cannot hide behind our privileges as NATO members, we cannot hide behind the security of our close and strategic alliance with the US or with the United Kingdom and the EU. We must take our steps! That is why, for over four months, my proposal is pending in Parliament. I have requested annual funding from Albania for Kosovo in military aid, in the amount of 50 million euros. It is there, but instead of being put up for discussion and unanimously voted on, it is pending. This is a sign of Albania\u2019s irresponsible behavior under the current government, regarding national security, regional security, and the Euro-Atlantic security architecture in the Balkans.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must put an end to the tradition of folkloric support for Kosovo. Let football fans enjoy patriotic songs, but let\u2019s take mature and determined steps to show that any scenario of deviating from the Euro-Atlantic agenda by any regional actor is unacceptable for Albania, and we are ready to do everything to stop such a scenario,\u201d concluded Basha.<\/p>\n
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