Albanian coalition secures two seats in Serbia, Shaip Kamberi: In the running for a third

The Albanian Coalition has secured two seats in Serbia’s parliament and remains in the running for a third, list leader Shaip Kamberi announced, citing preliminary results from the snap parliamentary elections held on October 25.

According to Kamberi, the joint list of eight Albanian parties from Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa received 27,230 votes. Ardita Sinani published the same figures. Both described the result as a “historic achievement.”

“This is the result of political unity, citizens’ trust and a shared commitment to dignified representation,” Kamberi wrote on Facebook.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti called the result an “extraordinary achievement,” saying the coalition was projected to win two seats, while the race for a third remained open.

“The political unity of Albanians is turning into stronger parliamentary representation,” Kurti wrote on Facebook, congratulating citizens and Albanian political entities in the three municipalities.

If confirmed, the two seats would increase the Albanian community’s representation compared with the previous parliament, in which Kamberi was the only Albanian lawmaker.

Kamberi and Sinani thanked voters in the three municipalities, the Albanian parties for uniting, and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti for his role in reaching an agreement on the joint list.

The eight parties ran together after years of divisions and rivalries, aiming to win three seats. The agreement was reached with Kurti’s mediation.

Earlier in the evening, after polling stations closed, Kamberi told Kosovo’s public broadcaster that the coalition was aiming for two seats. He attributed the difficulty of securing a third seat to the deactivation of Albanians’ registered addresses.

The coalition parties have pledged to work together after the election as well. Their priorities include Albanian representation in state institutions, economic development in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa, and the official use of the Albanian language and national symbols.

For years, Albanian representatives have complained of discrimination in employment, education and institutional representation. Serbian authorities deny these accusations./RFE/RL