The Albanian government has successfully facilitated an agreement between Albanian political parties of Presheva Valley in southern Serbia to enter general elections with a joint list.
Acting Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj held a press conference to announce the news, only one day after Prime Minister Edi Rama faced harsh criticism in Albania and Kosovo regarding his lawsuit against Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj for defamation over Rama’s role in an alleged plan for territorial exchange between Serbia and Kosovo. The lawsuit against Haradinaj, himself a freedom fighter in the war against Serbia, was filed on the 21st anniversary of the Recak Massacre, where Serbian forces mass murdered 45 Albanians.
The Serbian government did not react to the news about the latest agreement signed in offices of the Albanian government.
Cakaj later tweeted in English:
“It was a great honor to facilitate the agreement between the wise political leaders of the Preshevë valley. They today decided to establish a unified electoral list and thus enable their voters achieve a powerful voice – and votes in forthcoming election. Urime! [Congrats!]”
Presheva Valley in Serbia is composed of three small municipalities inhabited by Albanian ethnic majority.
Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaçi and Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama also welcomed the agreement in social media posts.
The Rama government facilitated another agreement back in 2017 between Albanian parties in the former FYROM, now North Macedonia. The so-called “Albanian Platform”, signed by all Albanian political parties in the country, demanded equal right for all Albanians and Macedonians, and full implementation of the Ohrid Agreement and Constitution.
