Albania and Serbia look to work together on common European goals despite deep divide over Kosovo.
Tirana Times
TIRANA, Oct. 25 – Marking a melting of the ice, Serbia’s top diplomat came to Albania this week to talk about improving the relationship between the two countries, which have a long and complicated history as neighboring nations.
Serb Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic’s said during his two-day visit that Belgrade and Tirana should work harder toward common ground in their path toward Europe. More economic cooperation was also on the agenda.
As in any Albania-Serbia meeting, Kosovo was the big elephant in the room, and it is clear the two know they won’t see eye-to-eye on Europe’s newest country where ethnic Albanians make up the majority of the population and which split from Serbia following a bloody war.
Mrkic’ avoided a direct questions from journalists on Kosovo and the need for Serbia to recognize the bloody Serb repression there, saying the relationship should move forward despite differences on Kosovo and the past conflict.
“We have different interpretations when it comes to history,” he said. “As a government and as politicians we try to focus on the things that unite us,” the Serb top diplomat said.
Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti said a good portion of the talks were about Albanians in Southern Serbia, chiefly in the Presevo Valley, which is outside Kosovo’s borders but inhabited by an Albanian majority.
“I spoke about the need to improve their economic situation, fulfilling requests on education, information and involving this community in decision making, as well as the need for better financial support by the Serb state,” said Panariti. “Naturally, I also asked that the Serb authorities stop any violence against the community.”
In a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Mr. Mrkic said that despite differences, the future relations between the two countries should be based on common interests and goals.
Mr. Berisha said the Albanian government is interested in a new chapter of positive relations between the two countries as that would be in the interest of a better region and the common goal of integration into the European Union.
The prime minister added the relationship should grow in areas of mutual interest such as education, culture, tourism and the economy.
The Kosovo divide
During the visit, Albania urged Serbia to recognize Kosovo and leave behind the repressive politics of late Slobodan Milosevic’s regime along their steps toward integration into the European Union. Albania says Serbia and Kosovo are two sovereign states and they should talk with each-other as such.
Last week, mediated by the EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, Kosovo’s Hashim Thaci and Serbia’s Ivica Dacic became the first prime ministers of the two countries to meet since NATO bombed Serbia in 1999 to stop the war in Kosovo. It declared independence in 2008 which Serbia says it will never recognize, considering it the cradle of its statehood and Christian Orthodox religion.
Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti hailed the dialogue and welcomed “the recognition of Kosovo’s independence from Serbia, a clear indicator and good will for getting rid of the past of violence, repression and genocide from the Milosevic’s regime and of their clear projection on their European future.”
Mrkic stressed the importance paid to the negotiations with Kosovo, where they had “thrown everything on the table,” and urged “everyone wish us luck and success.”
Developments in Kosovo, particularly the tensions in the north, but also problems in the Presevo Valley have pushed the often harsh statements from Tirana which has not been reluctant to blame the Belgrade government. However, Albania has given public support bilateral talks mediated by the European Union, insisting on the implementation of commitments.
‘A positive development’
The visit was a positive development that places the relationship on the right track, notes Albert Rakipi, who heads the Albanian Institute for International Studies in Tirana.
“Despite different views that the two countries may have on issues, for example, Kosovo, dialogue and cooperation are important,” he said.
Dr. Rakipi adds that the official comments by Albania’s foreign minister make it clear the talks aimed to protect the interests of Albania and at the same time reflected Western attitudes.
“For Serbia, and other Balkan countries, it is important to leave the past behind and work toward European integration and reconciliation. That’s a very European attitude and stands at the basis of modern European culture,” said Dr. Rakipi. “Hiding problems in bilateral relations with important Balkan countries like Serbia or Greece does not serve anything.”
He added Albania must conduct itself in accordance with its interests, but at the same time, Albania is a NATO member country and must behave as one with the countries in the region.
Protests accompany visit
The Serb foreign minister’s was greeted with some protests organized by the Red and Black Alliance Party, which sports a nationalist agenda.
They started just as the minister landed at Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa. Several dozen Red and Black Alliance party activists gathered with whistles, flags and posters.
RBA activists also protested at the foreign ministry, shouting anti-government slogans calling the government “traitors” and holding banners reading “Kosovo is Albania.”
Mr. Mrkic was taken into the ministry and the airport from the back doors to avoid the protesters.
Analysts note the protests that accompanied the visit are part of being a free country, but they should also be seen in the context of the next elections, and the profile of some political parties in Albania, like the Red and Black Alliance, which gets its support from nationalists causes.
Concerns over transparency
Mrkic’s visit also sparked a debate in the country with many opinion makers complaining why the government kept his visit hidden until the last moment.
There was criticism against the government and some opinion writers said that Tirana favors Serbia in the development of its economy and showed there are some 200 Serb companies operating in the country.
Ironically, the same infrastructure – a major highway – Albania built to bring it closer to Kosovo, now serves to increase trade with Serbia – through Kosovo.
According to the Albanian Foreign Ministry, “This visit took take place following the meeting that the two ministers held in New York, where it was agreed to renew bilateral relations between Albania and Serbia, and the exchange of high level visits between the two countries.”
Serbian Foreign Minister last time officially visited Tirana was Vuk Draskovic in 2004. While in Belgrade, since that year there were three Albanian visits at the foreign minister level, with the last one being in 2010 by former Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta.
