Prime minister’s nationalist rhetoric as a campaign tactic is the wrong approach in protecting Albanian interests.
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
Tirana, Dec. 6 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha has made a sharp turn from his long-standing policy of downplaying Albanian nationalist issues in favor of serving as a stabilizing regional factor. In the past two weeks he has issued statements that have angered neighbors, surprised Albanians and raised too many question marks for comfort.
As part of celebrations relating to Albania’s 100 years of independence, Berisha called for national unification at a massive rally in Skopje. He then told Albanians he supports historic Albania, which includes northwestern Greece, western Macedonia, Kosovo, parts of South Serbia and eastern Montenegro. He also vowed to give an Albanian passport to any ethnic Albanian anywhere in the world who wants one.
Since no Albanian prime minister had uttered such statements in the past, many are wondering if Albania’s regional policy is about the drastically shift. In this newspaper’s opinion, that is not the case, but the prime minister’s words will end up hurting Albanian interests rather then help them.
This increase in nationalist rhetoric should be seen in the context of the next parliamentary elections.
For a long time, in fact more than 20 years years, the Democratic Party and Berisha himself have claimed a monopoly on the national cause. With the emergence of Red and Black Alliance that perceived monopoly and the votes that come with it are no longer safe, keeping in mind some of the foreign policy and international relation issues Albania has had under the Democratic Party government. The disagreements with Greece over the maritime border are a clear example of this.
The proposal to give citizenship to ethnic Albanians no matter where they live should also be seen in the context of an electoral campaign for the next elections.
One among many implications relates to visas and travel. Providing Albanian citizenship to Kosovo Albanians would grant them access to visa-free travel, which they don’t have, but it could help reintroduce visas for citizens of Albania if the country breaks its commitments to the EU on how citizenship is granted.
Furthermore, this type of proposal itself can actually undermine what what Albanians call the “national issue.”
To keep ethnic Albanian areas populated with Albanians who do well, it is in the Albanian interest for Albanians in Kosovo to be loyal to their country. Similarly, that’s the case for Albanians in Macedonia too. And it is in Albania’s interest to strengthen the state and the rule of law in Kosovo as it is to strengthen and consolidate Macedonia.
Some argue, particularly in Kosovo and Macedonia, but Albania too – that Albanians have not progressed as much as they should have because they have been divided in different states. That doesn’t fully explain why Albania is the region’s weakest state economically and politically without having gone through a war, as Kosovo and Bosnia have.
Albanians face major challenges in economy and rule of law. Focusing to solve these challenges is the most important issue of the day, not insincere nationalist rhetoric aimed at grabbing a few more votes. Hiding under nationalism for political failures has only led to more problems in the region, not solutions.
