Ilir Kulla: Rama has lost influence among Albanians in Kosovo and North Macedonia, with key players now against him

Analyst Ilir Kulla spoke about political developments in the Western Balkans and Prime Minister Edi Rama’s standing in the region in an interview with the “Zonë e Lirë” program on News24.

According to Kulla, Rama no longer has the influence he once had among Albanians in Kosovo and North Macedonia, diminishing his weight in regional politics.

He compared Rama’s situation with that of Aleksandar Vučić, saying that just as the latter has united several players against himself, the Albanian prime minister also faces many political actors.

Kulla recalled that, when Rama first became involved in the region, he was presented as someone who could contribute to stability in the Balkans. To fulfill that role, the analyst said, Rama needed to have influence over Albanian politicians in neighboring countries.

Among the developments that, in Kulla’s view, have weakened Rama’s position, he listed Kosovo’s opposition to changing borders, the failure of the “Open Balkan” initiative and Dritan Abazović’s departure from power in Montenegro. He said these developments had left Rama without some of the political tools that once gave him influence in the region.

“Vučić united everyone against himself, just as Rama in Albania has caused the various players to unite against him. I think Rama was sidelined when he lost influence among Albanians in North Macedonia and Kosovo. In North Macedonia, with the rise to power of the forces now governing with Mickoswki, namely VLEN, and in Kosovo, with Albin Kurti’s government, they do not recognize his leadership, and Rama has nothing to offer them in return.

“At first, Rama was seen as the man who would bring stability, but to do that he needed influence over these actors. Kosovo opposed changing the borders, while ‘Open Balkan’ failed. The cards Rama had to play at the table are no longer in his hand—not because Vučić left, but because the region’s Albanians did not accept him. Dritan Abazović also left power in Montenegro, and today Rama has nothing to offer.

“The only argument he can make is stability, but that is difficult for him because of the domestic protests. In relations with the West, Rama no longer has anything to offer for the Balkans. He has no control over either the Kosovo issue or North Macedonia, and he is facing domestic problems. Vetëvendosje and VLEN are not under Rama’s influence,” Kulla said.