Salihu: The Consulate in Medvegja Should Mark the Beginning of Engagement for Albanians, Not the End of It

Muharrem Salihu, a political activist from Medvegja, considers Albania’s plan to open a consulate in the Serbian territories where Albanians live important, provided that this initiative is concretized this time.

According to him, the situation of Albanians in the Presevo Valley has significantly deteriorated, while real and continuous support from Tirana has been lacking.

Salihu stated that the condition of Albanians in Serbia, particularly in the south of the country and especially in Medvegja, has worsened relatively a lot. He emphasized that the agreement would be an important development if it is seen as the starting point of a long-term commitment to the fate of Albanians in Serbia.

If the opening of the consulate is treated as the final point of engagement, according to him, the effect would be harmful. Salihu said that until now essential care has been lacking and that, apart from some actions more for show, there has been nothing substantial. As an exception, he mentioned the period when Gent Cakaj was Albania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, assessing that Cakaj strongly committed to the Albanian issue and significantly influenced the unification of the Albanian political factor in Serbia.

The activist recalled that the idea of a consulate is old, so he expressed doubts whether it is being taken seriously this time and whether the institution will fulfill its declared mission. He added that he still does not know where exactly the Albanian consulate in Serbia will be located.

Salihu underlined that its opening should not be presented as Albania’s highest achievement in southern Serbia. If the consulate were considered the pinnacle of Tirana’s result in this direction, it would not be sufficient and, in his assessment, would constitute a harmful action.

He called for caution also regarding Serbia’s intention to open its consulate in Shkodra. According to Salihu, the selection of this city touches old wounds of Albanians and could incite interethnic tensions in the region.

Salihu argued that the proposed location does not seem related to special economic interests. He recalled that Serbian companies have invested relatively a lot in southern Albania in recent years, while tens of thousands of Serbian tourists visit the Albanian coast during the summer. For this reason, if the Serbian consulate were to serve the economy or tourism, according to him, it should be opened in the south of Albania, in Saranda or Vlora, and not in the north.

Salihu sees Serbia’s insistence on a consulate in Shkodra as an action that produces several negative consequences. According to him, Belgrade simultaneously aims to make it seemingly difficult for the Albanian state to open a consulate in Serbia and to provoke Albanians through the choice of Shkodra, an issue on which public opinion has rightly reacted recently.

At the same time, he assessed that this initiative also weakens Montenegro’s position. Salihu said that in Shkodra there may be more Montenegrins than Serbs, since so far only a few dozen people have declared themselves as Serbs. Consequently, considering territorial competencies, he considers that such a request would be more reasonable coming from Montenegro than from Serbia.