In an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW), Adis Ahmetović, a member of Germany’s Bundestag from the SPD (Social Democratic Party), spoke candidly about the genocide in Srebrenica, the political situation in Kosovo, and the human rights violations faced by Albanians in southern Serbia, particularly in the Presheva Valley.
Ahmetović, who has a personal connection to the war in Bosnia—his grandfather’s remains were only identified in 2016 from a mass grave—gave a powerful speech in the Bundestag on the International Day of Remembrance for the Srebrenica genocide. He emphasized that genocide denial and glorification of war criminals like Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić in the Balkans remains unacceptable, and that Germany has a moral responsibility to the victims and survivors.
Regarding Kosovo, Ahmetović was clear: “Kosovo should become a member of the Council of Europe as soon as possible. If it were up to us in the SPD, it would have happened yesterday.” He criticized the missed opportunity in the last legislative period, blaming insufficient pressure on Council of Europe member states, and called for stronger German diplomatic efforts going forward.
Ahmetović also stressed the importance of EU and NATO integration for the Western Balkans, stating:
“People didn’t flee the Balkans in the 1990s for better jobs—they fled war, persecution, and crimes. That must never happen again.”
On Kosovo’s stalled parliament and the current political impasse, Ahmetović called for urgent restoration of political stability, noting that progress on European integration, NATO, and Council of Europe membership depends on a functioning government and parliament.
Perhaps the strongest statements came regarding Albanian minorities in Serbia:
“Serbia cannot demand rights for Serbs in Kosovo while violating those of Albanians in the Presheva Valley.”
He revealed he had recently hosted a delegation from Presevo in the Bundestag and was shocked by the lack of international awareness and attention to the systemic marginalization of Albanians in southern Serbia, including the passivization of their addresses, which restricts their civil rights.
Ahmetović said he now considers the inclusion of the Presevo Albanians’ rights in the EU-facilitated Kosovo-Serbia dialogue a legitimate and necessary demand:
“What Serbia demands for Serbs in Kosovo should equally apply to Albanians in Serbia. That is basic fairness. I take this as a task for my political work and will address it.”
He reaffirmed the SPD’s commitment to ensuring minority rights and democratic values apply equally across the Western Balkans and promised to push the German government to keep Kosovo and the rights of Albanians in Serbia firmly on the European agenda.
