Bamir Topi on Vlora Hyseni: Her move to Albania took place amid tensions between Rama and Kurti

Former President Bamir Topi spoke about the political circumstances surrounding Vlora Hyseni’s move from Kosovo to Albania and her appointment as head of SHISH. Speaking on the “Minuta e Parë” program on News24, he commented on the relationship between Edi Rama and Albin Kurti, as well as how Hyseni’s move was handled.

Topi pointed out that the position Hyseni had held involved two institutions and that, in his view, there should also have been official communication with the President. He said he did not know whether such communication had taken place.

Placing the issue in the context of relations between Rama and Kurti, Topi referred to developments in the region at the time and the Open Balkan initiative. According to him, the way the matter was handled creates the impression that a party-political logic was followed, rather than the logic appropriate to the state administration.

Topi said that, according to his analysis, Hyseni moved to Albania at a time when the government was changing in Kosovo and relations between Rama and Kurti were not good. He recalled that Kosovo had been left out of the Open Balkan initiative, which began as the Berlin Process, with decision-making at the heart of Europe. According to him, the Berlin Process included 4 countries of the Open Balkan initiative, while President Vučić was later given a primary role. Topi described the situation as an example of the logic “you removed her, I’ll take her,” which, in his view, occurs in political parties and not in the administration.

The former president said the issue had been mishandled from the outset and that this was not a clash justified by state circumstances. He also raised questions about the involvement of police personnel and political responsibility, saying that citizens might ask what was happening. According to Topi, there is no acknowledgment of the mistake and political failure, while a debate should have been opened in Parliament—something that, he said, is not happening under the current circumstances.

Topi added that NATO is highly sensitive to such issues and expressed doubt as to whether those responsible are aware that Albania is part of NATO. He said the country must behave in keeping with the level of the position it has chosen to hold.