Prime Minister Albin Kurti addressed the Harvard community, organized by the Albanian Student Association at Harvard. He discussed the economic situation in Kosovo and the status of ethnic minorities.
Speaking about the Serbian community, which constitutes only 4% of the population, he noted that this community governs more than a quarter of the municipalities. He emphasized that Kosovo has strong protections for minorities.
“Kosovo has strong protections for minorities, including guaranteed parliamentary seats. Non-majority communities have the right to veto vital laws and constitutional amendments, and they enjoy quotas for all high state appointments and other positions in the public sector, including the police. The Serbian minority, which makes up about 4% of the population, governs approximately one-fourth of the municipalities and holds about 9% of the seats in Parliament, which are guaranteed to them. We are committed to diligent governance that promotes more equitable growth and strong protection of our Constitution,” said the Prime Minister.
Regarding the Association, Kurti stated that the Association requested by Serbia would undermine the Constitution. He noted that this also applies to specific guarantees for Orthodox churches and monasteries.
“We are also committed to listening to the demands of all minority communities in our country and weighing political requests based on their impact on ordinary people and, ultimately, the legal framework that protects them. One such request is for the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority. The Association that Serbia is asking for, without first recognizing Kosovo, would require the assumption of executive powers, either by the Government or by the municipalities, which would undermine our Constitution. The same applies to specific guarantees for Orthodox churches and monasteries, which enjoy special protective zones ranging from tens to thousands of hectares. This request would necessitate governance by a layer that is not legally regulated to provide the wide range of protections that the current order already offers. This is a case where the request for more is, in fact, an offer for less,” Kurti declared.
