Serbian politician Ivica Dačić’s recent statement that the Serbian flag would fly over Prizren has prompted a series of reactions in Albania and Kosovo, including one from Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha.
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Publicist Gëzim Mekuli has also weighed in on the issue. In addition to condemning Serbian nationalist rhetoric, he has raised pointed questions about Albanian politicians’ positions on Kosovo.
Mekuli questioned whether Berisha would react just as forcefully to Dačić if he were in power, and also directed criticism at Prime Minister Edi Rama.
In his view, Kosovo should not be used as an instrument for political and electoral gain in Albania, but should be treated as a state and national issue that requires concrete action and consistent positions, regardless of who is in government in Tirana.
In a response published on Facebook, Mekuli called for a common and consistent Albanian policy to protect Kosovo’s interests, stressing that patriotism is not proven merely by making harsh statements against Belgrade, reports “Bota sot.”
In his post, Mekuli described Dačić’s statement as provocative and unacceptable. He noted Dačić’s political ties to the legacy of Slobodan Milošević’s regime and said Berisha had also responded to the statement, describing Dačić as a “clown” and the direct political heir to the “Butcher of the Balkans.” According to Mekuli, Berisha said the Democratic Party condemned the statement in the strongest terms, saying it showed that Serbia’s ultranationalist leadership was an enemy of peace and a real threat to regional stability and cooperation.
However, Mekuli asked whether Berisha would condemn Dačić just as forcefully if he were Albania’s prime minister. He also asked whether Berisha would take concrete diplomatic steps, such as coordinating with Kosovo’s institutions, or instead use more cautious language shaped by diplomatic interests, international relations and calculations about power.
Mekuli stressed that these questions are not accusations, but constitute a political test that Berisha and every other Albanian leader should be prepared to pass—a test that, in his view, official Tirana has failed so far.
Along the same lines, Mekuli addressed Edi Rama, asking why positions on Kosovo, Serbia and Albanian-Serbian relations become the subject of political infighting in Tirana. He observed that Albanian politicians often use harsh language on national issues while in opposition, but appear indecisive and Machiavellian once in power.
The publicist asked whether Kosovo is a matter of national interest that should unite Albanian politics, or a tool activated according to the electoral needs of officials in Tirana. He also asked whether it is acceptable for a politician to use national rhetoric to criticize an opponent, but fail to offer the same level of transparency and accountability when personally responsible for governing.
Mekuli stressed that provocative statements from Belgrade require a clear and measured response. In his view, Albania should support Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, strengthen cooperation with its institutions, and oppose any rhetoric that threatens peace in the region. This, he emphasized, requires consistent diplomacy, coordination and state responsibility—not merely an exchange of political insults.
In conclusion, Mekuli called for concrete answers: from Berisha on what he would do as prime minister in response to such a statement; from Rama on whether he would support the same response if it came from the opposition; and from both on whether they are willing to build a common platform on Kosovo’s strategic issues, regardless of who governs in Tirana.
He asked why there is no consistent national standard for protecting Kosovo’s interests, regardless of changes in government, and stressed that the issue is not who delivers the harshest speech against Belgrade, but whether Albanian politics has a consistent national position that does not change with polls, elections or short-term interests.
According to Mekuli, Kosovo belongs to no Albanian party and is not ammunition to be used against one another whenever political points are at stake; it is a state and national issue. Berisha and Rama, he wrote, should not be judged by what they say about Dačić or Vučić today, but by what they do when they are in power. The most important question, Mekuli concluded, is not who speaks most forcefully about Kosovo while in opposition, but who is willing to defend it with the same resolve while bearing the responsibility of government.
