While Albin Kurti may feel isolated, Kosovo does not need to feel defeated

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti recently stated that he accepts the Franco-German plan and considers it as a basis for the propagation of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. This is good news for Kosovo and a new lie for Kurti’s supporters, who continue to hope that their leader has a secret plan and is going to succeed against the West.

Personally, I understand the reactions of the opposition members who criticize Kurti’s lack of transparency in the process. I also understand those who remind the Prime Minister all the delusional nonsense that he has repeated in the past and is now being forced to swallow back one by one. Furthermore, I even understand his militant supporters, who have been sharpening their knives against US and EU diplomats and will now have to sheath them again.

However, the main issue with Albin Kurti’s anti-West rhetoric is that he is trying to appear as a victim of Western policies in Kosovo, rather than their ally. The accepting of the Franco-German plan not only does not penalize Kosovo, but it rather pulls it out from the isolationist swamp, where Kurti’s sense of protagonist aims to hold it. Therefore, the Franco-German plan should be accepted as a European solution for Kosovo and not as a conspiracy theory against it.

Meanwhile, the acting of the Kosovo government as a victim of Western policies and pressure is a heavy mistake, since it helps to keep alive anti-West cells in Kosovo, which view the West as the country’s main enemy. Mr. Kurti’s opponents in the opposition must not attack his support for the Franco-German plan. Instead, they should criticize Kurti for pretending to be a victim of Western pressure.

The accepting of the Franco-German plan does not have to be presented as a violation of Kosovo by the West. Truth is that this plan is dismantling Kurti’s demagogy without harming Kosovo. The worst part is that Kosovo is accepting the plan, for its own good, while also playing the victim of Western pressure.

On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is also playing the victim card, but his country has been punished by the West precisely because of the Kosovo conflict. Hence, Kosovo does not need to compare itself to Serbia when coming face to face with Europe.

The accepting of the Franco-German plan should be considered as a step towards the consolidation of Kosovo’s partnership with its strategic allies, like the United States and European Union. But, Albin Kurti will play the victim card in order to lie his militants, who hate the West and view the latter as Kurti’s enemy. Kosovo’s destiny on the other hand is not tied to Albin Kurti, but the West.

While Mr. Kurti might feel like he is surrendering, Kosovo does not need to feel defeated by the West. This is not Kosovo’s battle against the West, but rather a step towards strengthening their alliance.