Kurti: Joint list of Albanians from the Valley could mark a historic moment

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has welcomed an agreement by Albanian political parties from Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoci to run on a joint coalition list in Serbia’s October 25 elections.

Speaking at a government meeting, Kurti said the alliance was a significant development and could produce a result that would make the agreement a historic event for Albanians from the Valley.

“Coming together is an important step, aimed at achieving a result that could make this agreement historic for Albanians from the Valley in their efforts against discrimination and exclusion, as well as against administrative ethnic cleansing,” Kurti said.

He also pointed to what he described as a disparity between the rights of the Albanian community in Serbia and those of the Serbian community in Kosovo.

“We all know there is an asymmetry of rights, which constitutes a blatant injustice. Serbs in Kosovo are guaranteed 10 of the Kosovo Assembly’s 120 seats. By the same approach, Albanians from the Valley should have at least 5 guaranteed seats in Serbia’s 250-seat parliament,” the prime minister said.

According to Kurti, the principle of guaranteed representation should apply equally in Kosovo and Serbia.

“Guaranteed representation is a principle that should apply in both Kosovo and Serbia,” he stressed.

Finally, the prime minister described the political alliance of Albanians from the Valley as an initiative requiring mutual trust, work and commitment.

“This is an important initiative that must be built on mutual trust and through a great deal of work and commitment,” Kurti concluded.