Rama in Paris: Kosovo’s independence is irreversible, Serbia must accept it

At the Paris Peace Forum on Tuesday, Prime Minister Edi Rama said Kosovo is an independent state and that Serbia would benefit from accepting this reality as soon as possible. In the same discussion, he condemned violence at protests against his government, saying it stemmed from a mix of factors ranging from Iran to the opposition and organized crime.

Rama took part in a session on European Union enlargement and the younger generation. A day earlier, he had been received at the Élysée Palace by French President Emmanuel Macron. The Paris Peace Forum is held on November 10 and 11.

Asked what role Albania could play in maintaining peace in the Western Balkans amid tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, Rama said many countries, though not all, had recognized Kosovo’s independence. He said it was an irreversible reality and that Kosovo could not become part of a new Serbian fantasy.

The prime minister said a “ghost” was preventing Serbia from fully normalizing regional relations. He said Serbs would be better off if they treated Kosovo’s independence as a fact of life as soon as possible. The issue between the two countries remains unresolved, he said, while Serbia’s relations with the EU do not appear to be any better.

Rama also recalled a saying of his grandmother’s: a happy neighbor brings happiness into the home. Since people cannot choose their neighbors, he said, it is better to try to have good relations with them.

Turning to the protests, Rama distinguished the mass rallies in early June from those that followed. The first protests, he said, drew people from different walks of life, spurred by the tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Rama said the project became a “red flag” that ignited anger. Later, he said, a smaller group continued the protests and resorted to unacceptable violence.

The prime minister described the backdrop to the protests as a mix of factors. He listed concerns about the environment and the cost of living, which he considered legitimate, but also antisemitic propaganda that he said was fueled by the country’s enemies, specifically the Islamic Republic of Iran. He accused opposition parties, large and small, of being behind young people radicalized by “Antifa illusions.” Rama also mentioned people who, he said, had been brought in and paid by organized crime.

In response to the protests, Rama cited dialogue, measures in the new budget to ease the cost of living, and action by the police, prosecutors and courts against those who break the law. He said the protests were also linked to a clash between the real world and social media, where many young people get both information and disinformation.

Protesters opposing the government are demanding Rama’s resignation, and since October the movement has been led mainly by students. Last Saturday, outside the Education Ministry in Tirana, police used water cannon and tear gas against protesters, among them supporters of the Democratic Party. Rama has so far refused to resign.

On Albania’s path toward the EU, the prime minister said no one could offer guarantees about Europe. He nevertheless referred to the European Commission’s latest report, according to which work on the accession treaty should begin next year. If the process goes well, Rama said, Albania could conclude negotiations by the end of next year. The final step will also depend on the state of the EU in two or three years, as well as on France, where elections are being held next year.

According to Rama, Albanians are the most optimistic about Europe on the continent. He said that after communist isolation, they became devotees of the West, whom he described as “Western Taliban.” For Albanians, he added, the EU is not an ATM but a space that offers freedom, security and peace.

Rama called the claim that Ukraine was being allowed fast-track membership through an exemption a “lie.” He said the new enlargement package places Albania, Montenegro, Ukraine and Moldova at the forefront. In his view, the EU should find its “Helmut Kohl moment” and bring all seven negotiating countries to the table without interrupting the merit-based process.

On the emigration of young people, the prime minister said departures were not on an upward trend. He linked Albania’s economic development to rising expectations among its citizens. Rama also said the country was using artificial intelligence to align its laws with those of the EU, a process he said took Croatia seven years. The government is also working on a public procurement system that will operate entirely through artificial intelligence.

Asked whether the project for a Bektashi state in Tirana would continue after EU membership, Rama said the government was working on it, but it remained to be seen how far it would get.

In closing, Rama said the greatest challenge was not Albania’s accession but Europe’s ability to confront polarization and the influence of social media. He warned that Europe’s political center was hollowing out.