American and European ambassadors say Washington and Brussels do not support border changes in the Balkans.
TIRANA, Dec. 17 – Representatives of the United States and the European Union urged Albanian politicians to tone down nationalist views, adding Washington and Brussels do not support any border changes in the Balkans.
On Dec. 14, the U.S. ambassador to Tirana warned of an “unfortunate” rise in nationalist rhetoric by Albanian politicians ahead of elections next year. Ambassador Alexander A. Arvizu said attempts to inflame ethnic tensions could potentially destabilize the Balkans.
“Recently, various political actors in Albania have sought to use negative messages centered on ethnicity for their narrow political ends,” Arvizu told a conference on Balkan security. “This is a dangerous game.”
EU Ambassador Ettore Sequi joined the concern for the increased nationalist rhetoric in the Albanian politics on Dec. 17, saying that EU requires the Albanian politics not to go against the practices that guarantee good relations with neighbors.
Their comments follow calls from a small nationalist party, the Red and Black Alliance, for a referendum on uniting Albania with neighboring Kosovo whose population is mostly ethnic Albanian.
“The United States of America does not support the redrawing of national borders in the Balkan region,” Arvizu said.
Sequi said he agreed with the arguments of his American colleague
“I also want to mention the EU position on this matter Šand we don’t want to see border changes. The European Council conclusions for Albania, the opinion of the 27 EU countries, is that they welcome the constructive role in the region and appeals Albania to avoid declarations that fall against practices for good relations with neighbors. This stabilizing role is part of the obligations in the EU path,” said Ambassador Sequi.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha recently angered neighboring Greece with talk of Albanian lands including parts of Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro.
His comments — which a spokeswoman later said had a purely historical context — prompted Greece’s foreign minister to call off at the last minute a planned visit for Albania’s 100th anniversary celebrations. Macedonia’s president also scrapped plans to attend after a protester threw an egg at the Macedonian prime minister during an official visit to Tirana.
Berisha also promised citizenship for ethnic Albanians worldwide — an offer he later retracted. At a cabinet meeting this week Berisha said he would only offer citizenship to those investing at least $200,000 in the country.
But later, in his Facebook account Berisha mentioned again the nationalistic ideas. Analysts argue these ideas are merely an electoral tool as officially and formally he seemed to have made the formal act, which, in fact does not really attract all the ethnic Albanians to come and apply for the Albanian citizenship.
Berisha has said Albania has no territorial claims, adding that remapping the borders at this time is not in the Albanians’ interest. He also called on the neighbors to overcome the century-old frictions and unfair stands on the Albanians.
Arvizu said voters should not fall for talk of an “illusory Greater Albania, which is a distraction from the very real problems that Albania faces today.”
Albania will hold parliamentary elections in June and the issue has turned into a political tool.
“A few disruptive actors or unfortunate actions taken for short term political gain can unsettle the region and stir up ethnic or religious tensions across the borders,” said Arvizu.
There was immediate reaction from the opposition Socialists and their leader saying that the national unification should not come from the old ways of the destructive rancor.
“The phantasm of the turbo folk nationalism of the past has no place in our region. Let’s do national unification through the new path into Europe. Nowadays Albanians are free due to the American support and European good understanding. We may never violate these ties with the old destructive policies,” said Edi Rama.
For the moment it seems that nationalism has put aside the center of interest or attention from the Albanian community — its failure to again, for the third time, get the European Union candidate status.
Europe said again that Albania will be granted the candidate status when it delivers key reforms in the judiciary, public administration and the functioning of parliament.
“We must provide incentives for Albania and its people. However, the EU must take a strict stance against nationalistic statements such as the recent ones by the Albanian Prime minister. All those concerned must refrain from any actions which could trigger regional tensions,” said Nikolaos Chountis, rapporteur for Albania’s progress towards EU membership.
The European parliamentarians stressed that the oversight role of the parliament must be further improved, adding they welcome the Commission’s commitment to putting the rule of law at the center of the EU’s enlargement policy. The European Parliament expressed concern about Albania’s slow progress with judicial reform, which it says must be an irreversible process. The independence, integrity and transparency of the judiciary, free of political interference and corruption should be the near focus of attention in the tiny western Balkan country. They also point to the risks of politicizing public administration and to the inadequate fight against corruption.
It is more than clear what the Albanian politics and the government should do instead of launching a surprise campaign of patriotism only six months ahead of the parliament elections.
