Kurti calls on the OSCE to intervene over the rights of Albanians in the Preševo Valley

Prime Minister Albin Kurti held a meeting today with Christophe Kamp, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. The discussion focused on community rights, including the use of languages, education and public services.

During the meeting, Kurti also raised concerns about systematic discrimination against Albanians in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa. According to him, the situation is linked to the de-registration of addresses, obstacles in education and inadequate representation in public institutions.

“I called for direct engagement and concrete follow-up on these issues: Serbia must meet European standards for the protection of communities, guarantee genuine equality for Albanians, and respect human and civil rights. Their rights cannot remain hostage to the political will of an autocratic system,” Kurti wrote.

Kurti said that during the meeting he thanked OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp for his visit and continued dialogue. He said the discussions also covered the implementation of the law on the protection of public property, the environment and water resources.

The prime minister recalled that equality before the law is one of the foundations of the Republic of Kosovo and that rights must be protected, while legal obligations must be applied equally to everyone, without distinction.

He stressed that the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo guarantees non-majority communities broad rights, which in some areas exceed European protection standards. According to him, these guarantees must be fully implemented in institutional and social life through the active engagement of community members and representatives, in accordance with the laws in force.

Kurti emphasized that the protection of rights and the implementation of the law are principles that support one another. Belonging, he added, cannot be used either to infringe rights or to evade legal obligations.

In conclusion, the prime minister said that cooperation with Commissioner Kamp’s office would continue. He said that the rights of non-majority communities and the rule of law are complementary obligations, not principles that exclude one another.