Marjana Koçeku: Noise over videos overshadowed unification of Albanian parties in Serbia

MP Marjana Koçeku has reacted to the videos published over the last two days, arguing that public attention should have been focused on a different political development.

She pointed to the agreement among Albanian parties in Serbia, which will take part together in the October 25 parliamentary elections through a joint list named “Albanian Coalition.”

According to Koçeku, eight Albanian political entities have united to run on a single list, describing the step as important for the representation of Albanians in Serbia.

“The videos that have emerged these two days are not news. The news is that the Albanian parties in Serbia have come together. But this topic did not receive even the slightest attention and was drowned out by the noise created by empty news,” wrote the MP.

Koçeku states that the unification of Albanian parties comes at a time when Albanians in Serbia have faced years of pressure and difficulties. She also links this development to the months-long protests in the country, while criticizing the Albanian government for the lack of reaction and support for this initiative.

The MP also says that Albanian diplomacy does not pay proper attention to the issue of Albanians in Serbia. According to her, their issue is rarely raised in diplomatic meetings, while she cites as an example the agreement on the Serbian consulate in Shkodër.

“Eight political entities united to run on a single list, ‘Albanian Coalition,’ in the October 25 parliamentary elections in Serbia, against Vučić’s autocratic regime. These elections come as a result of pressure from months-long protests and find Albanians more united,” Koçeku writes.

She adds that the Albanian government did not react or support this initiative, which she considers decisive for the representation of Albanians in Serbia.

“Albanians in Serbia, besides being oppressed for years especially as a result of administrative cleansing, do not receive the deserved support from the government of Albania,” the post continues.

Koçeku compares the stance of the Albanian government with that of Kosovo, stressing that the latter has increased support for Albanians in Serbia by 1 million euros every year. At the end, she raises the question: “But our government, whose interests does it protect there?”