US Congress discusses Western Balkans security today, with Kosovo also in focus

Political developments and security challenges in the Western Balkans will be the focus of a hearing in the United States Congress today, where issues related to Kosovo and Albanian communities in the region are also expected to be addressed.

The hearing will begin at 16:00 Central European Time and will be held by the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Europe under the title “U.S. Policy and Regional Security Challenges in the Western Balkans.”

Daniel J. Lawton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, will testify before the American lawmakers.

The organization Albanians for America has described the hearing as an important opportunity for issues affecting Albanians and the future of the Western Balkans to be discussed at the U.S. policymaking level.

According to the organization, the U.S. Congress has recently shown increased attention to developments in the region, including the situation in Kosovo and issues concerning the rights of Albanians in Western Balkan countries.

“Tomorrow’s hearing represents another important opportunity for developments affecting Albanians and the future of the Western Balkans to receive attention in the U.S. Congress,” the organization’s announcement said.

Albanians for America emphasizes that over the past year, it has worked to strengthen communication with U.S. lawmakers and to include issues concerning Kosovo, the rights of Albanians in the region, security, and Euro-Atlantic integration in discussions on U.S. foreign policy.

In May, Congressmen Keith Self and Suhas Subramanyam visited Kosovo and the Preševo Valley, where they held meetings with political representatives and members of local communities.

As part of his engagement on issues concerning Albanians in Serbia, Congressman Keith Self also introduced the “Presheva Valley Albanian Discrimination Assessment Act.” The initiative aims to have the U.S. government assess the treatment of ethnic minorities in Serbia.