We don't need victors against the West!

29 Shtator 2023, 20:15Op-Ed Mero Baze

The Attack on Kosovo's sovereignty on September 24th revealed Kosovo's urgent need to unify its stance towards the United States and Western policy on Kosovo on one hand, and to avoid perceiving what unfolded in Banjska as a "victory against the West" on the other.

The first positive response came from Kosovo's President, Vjosa Osmani. She is the highest-ranking Kosovo leader to have clearly articulated that Kosovo will coordinate with the United States to create a new draft of the Association for Serb majority municipalities in the North and work alongside the United States for the draft’s approval as an obligation for de-escalating the situation.

It is also positive that President Osmani has called for bilateral meetings with all opposition leaders in Kosovo, and that they have agreed to coordinate on the way forward for Kosovo.

Despite President Osmani's stance, Albin Kurti is using the clash between the Kosovo police and the terrorist group as a reason to reject the West's plan for Kosovo. Unlike President Osmani, he has stated that the association of Serb majority municipalities is Serbia's idea, implying that he will not support it

The third, even though she shouldn't be taken too seriously as news goes late to her, is the Foreign Minister, Donika Gërvalla, who declared that the idea of the association of Serb majority municipalities died after September 24th attack.

Now, President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti, and Foreign Minister Gërvalla are the three key policymakers in Kosovo's government but they all hold very different views and need to reflect on how to retain the support of the United States and the West in the current circumstances.

President Osmani is trying to take advantage of this situation to strengthen Kosovo’s ties with the United States, which is the right move.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti is trying to use this situation to demonstrate that he was wright in his opposition of the United States throughout his life. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gërvalla is trying to show that she cannot comprehend the attitudes of the Prime Minister and the President.

Key opposition politicians align with President Osmani in terms of how to use this terrorist attack in Kosovo’s best interest in the future relationship with the West. Albin Kurti, on the other hand, is trying to take revenge against the United States and the West in general for isolating him and imposing sanctions on his policy in Kosovo.

The fire is further fuelled by Albin Kurti's propaganda machine in Pristina and Tirana, which isn't as thrilled that the police have won a battle against 30 terrorists but that Albin Kurti has defeated the United States and Europe. This madness is as great as that of Vučić on September 24th, which is felt in the revengeful spirit against any journalist or civilian politician in Kosovo trying to comment on the situation as an opportunity to unite Kosovo with the West.

September 24th, more than being a victory for Kosovo, is a gift from Serbia, which puts Kosovo in a comfortable position to move forward. Kosovo's real victory will be when it knows how to translate this into an advantage at the negotiating table and in its relationship with the United States. After a year of fighting against the United States and the West, Kosovo has received sanctions from the West, something that Vučić might achieve after attacking an independent state with weapons and terrorists. That's enough to understand the damage this anti-Western approach is doing to Kosovo.

Now, it's crucial for Kosovo to unify its internal positions before it finds external enemies. They should come together and voice their stance for or against the United States, for or against KFOR, for or against EULEX, and once they do that, it will be clear to others outside Kosovo where they stand.

In this situation, the "enemies" of Kosovo cannot be in the United States, Brussels, Paris, Germany, or Tirana because on September 24th, a battle against Serbian state terrorism was won, not against the West, as Albin Kurti is trying to portray. In the West, Aleksandar Vučić lost on September 24th. Albin Kurti is being tested to see if he can be the winner of this story. But we don't need winners against the West.

The attack on Kosovo's sovereignty on September 24th underscored Kosovo's pressing need to align its position regarding the United States and Western policy on Kosovo on one hand, while avoiding interpreting the events in Banjska as a "victory against the West" on the other.

Kosovo's President, Vjosa Osmani, was the first to respond positively. She stands as the highest-ranking Kosovo leader to clearly state that Kosovo will cooperate with the United States to draft a new agreement for Serbian-majority municipalities in the North. This initiative aims to work alongside the United States to secure approval, viewing it as a critical step in de-escalating the situation.

It's also encouraging that President Osmani has called for bilateral meetings with all opposition leaders in Kosovo, and they have agreed to coordinate their approach regarding Kosovo's future.

In contrast to President Osmani's stance, Albin Kurti is using the clash between the Kosovo police and the terrorist group as a reason to oppose the Western plan for Kosovo. Unlike President Osmani, he has stated that the association of Serbian-majority municipalities is Serbia's idea, suggesting his lack of support.

On another note, Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla, while not to be taken too seriously given the timing of her statement, declared that the concept of the association of Serbian-majority municipalities became obsolete following the September 24th attack.

Currently, President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti, and Foreign Minister Gërvalla are the key policymakers in Kosovo's government, but their differing views necessitate careful consideration of how to maintain support from the United States and the West under these circumstances.

President Osmani is leveraging this situation to strengthen Kosovo's ties with the United States, a prudent move. Prime Minister Albin Kurti is using this situation to demonstrate that his lifelong opposition to the United States was justified. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Gërvalla is struggling to comprehend the positions of the Prime Minister and the President.

Key opposition politicians are aligned with President Osmani in terms of utilizing this terrorist attack to Kosovo's advantage in future relations with the West. Conversely, Albin Kurti seeks revenge against the United States and the West in general for isolating him and imposing sanctions on his policies in Kosovo.

This fire is further stoked by Albin Kurti's propaganda machine in Pristina and Tirana, which more thrilled about Albin Kurti's perceived triumph over the United States and Europe rather than the police’s victory over the terrorist attack. This frenzy mirrors the spirit of revenge displayed by Vučić on September 24th and extends to anyone in Kosovo's journalism or civilian politics attempting to view the situation as an opportunity to unite Kosovo with the West.

Instead of being solely a victory for Kosovo, September 24th can also be seen as a strategic advantage provided by Serbia, positioning Kosovo favourably for the future. Kosovo's true victory will come when it effectively translates this advantage into favourable outcomes in negotiations and its relationship with the United States. After a year of conflict with the United States and the West, Kosovo has incurred sanctions, a fate that Vučić might similarly encounter after attacking an independent country. This should suffice to understand the harm caused by this anti-Western approach to Kosovo.

Now, it is crucial for Kosovo to unite its internal positions before identifying external enemies. Leaders must come together to voice their stance on the United States, KFOR, EULEX, or other relevant matters, providing clarity to external observers about where Kosovo stands.

In this situation, the "enemies" of Kosovo cannot be found in the United States, Brussels, Paris, Germany, or Tirana, as the battle on September 24th primarily targeted Serbian state terrorism rather than the West, as Albin Kurti portrays it. In the eyes of the West, Aleksandar Vučić was the one who faced defeat on September 24th. Albin Kurti is currently being tested to determine whether he can emerge as a victor in this narrative. However, it is essential to emphasize that we do not need victors against the West.

Original article: https://www.gazetatema.net/editorial/nuk-na-duhen-fitimtare-ndaj-perendimit-i408632

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