Political and civil society representatives from Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegja and Sandzak gathered in Pristina to discuss the problems faced by Albanians in these areas. The meeting, organized by Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, focused on institutional discrimination and the denial of funds for approved projects.
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Kurti said that supporting Albanians in Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja remains an ongoing responsibility of Kosovo. He called for the financial resources to be released and for projects that have already been approved to be implemented.
The meeting was attended by Serbian Parliament member Shaip Kamberi, Presheva Mayor Ardita Sinani, and the chairman of the Albanian National Council, Enkel Rexhepi.
According to Kurti, the blocked funds are linked to projects involving culture, sports, education, media, the use of the Albanian language and social support.
More than €2.1 million blocked as 186 projects and organizations await funding
Kurti said that a transfer of €304,500 was blocked in January of this year, followed by another worth €1,837,500 in April, an amount more than six times larger than the first. He explained that the funds are linked to a large number of programs that directly affect the lives of Albanians.
The approved projects include 78 initiatives in art, culture and cultural heritage, 23 sports projects, and 13 projects related to the official use of the Albanian language and national symbols. The list also includes 7 organizations working with children with special needs and 15 applicants trained in the field of information and Albanian-language media. In total, there are 186 approved projects and organizations, in addition to 61 applications approved for families of students who have lost one or both parents.
The acting prime minister stressed that the consequences of the blockage are not limited to the beneficiary organizations. According to him, the lack of funding also affects pupils, students, interns, children with special needs and journalists.
He said that the damage caused cannot be calculated solely through the amount of money involved, since the failure to distribute the funds means lost opportunities for citizens.
In his speech, Kurti also referred to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s recent visit to these areas. He cited it as an example of the political and institutional climate faced by Albanians.
Kurti: Albanians in Serbia face barriers to employment and are underrepresented
Kurti said that state discrimination is reflected not only in statistics, but also in the language used, the conduct of institutions and the way they respond. He said that a week earlier, Vucic had visited only Serb-majority settlements in Medvegja, Bujanoc and one village in Presheva, using, in his view, stigmatizing and degrading language toward Albanians.
He described the contrast between Vucic’s promise of employment in the BIA within 48 hours and the difficulties Albanians face when seeking jobs in public institutions as stark. According to Kurti, they face barriers and underrepresentation.
Kurti called on the European Union to respond to what he described as systematic discrimination. He said that European principles of the rule of law, equality and non-discrimination must also be applied to Albanians in Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja.
He announced that Kosovo would continue documenting and internationalizing the issue, with the aim of having it addressed in Brussels, Washington and Strasbourg.
Kurti: The rights of Albanians must also be guaranteed in Presheva, Bujanoc and Medvegja
According to Kurti, it is not enough for an Albanian from Presheva to be welcomed in Pristina, as he must also enjoy his rights in Presheva. Likewise, a student from Bujanoc should have prospects in Bujanoc even if he succeeds in Kosovo, while a doctor from Medvegja should be able to practice his profession with dignity there as well, regardless of being licensed in Kosovo.
He added that young people from Novi Pazar should have the opportunity not only to attend Albanian-language courses in Kosovo, but also to preserve, strengthen and develop their national identity in the place where they live.
In closing, the acting prime minister said that support for Albanians in these areas must be uninterrupted and accompanied by clear institutional and budgetary mechanisms.
