Shaip Kamberi, head of the Albanian Coalition list, has called for the mobilization of Albanians ahead of Serbia’s parliamentary elections on October 25, aiming to increase their representation in the Serbian Parliament.
In an interview with RTK, Kamberi said the unification of Albanian political parties on a joint electoral list was intended to strengthen the voice of Albanians in the Presheva Valley and ensure their demands are addressed by Serbian institutions.
He emphasized that Albanians continue to face systematic discrimination and accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić of portraying them as enemies.
Kamberi urged Albanians living in the Presheva Valley, as well as their compatriots living and working in Kosovo, to participate in the elections and support the Albanian Coalition, listed under number 17.
“We will aim for three or more,” Kamberi said, referring to the coalition’s goal of securing more than two seats in the Serbian Parliament.
He also called on Kosovo and Albania to develop a joint state strategy for the Presheva Valley and implement the joint fund for the region, which he said had been approved at a joint meeting of the two governments in Prizren several years ago.
RTK Interview
RTK: You have come together in an Albanian coalition to contest the October 25 elections. Finally, all of you are united, working toward a success you hope to achieve on election day. How do you assess these October 25 elections, given that you have participated in several electoral processes there over the years?
Shaip Kamberi: First of all, it is important that all political parties have finally come together on a single list. This is a joint effort in the struggle against Serbia’s authoritarian regime and the violations of human rights, including our rights, that the Republic of Serbia continues to commit.
This gives us hope of strengthening our parliamentary representation and amplifying the voice of Albanians, not only in the Serbian Parliament but also on the international stage. In recent years, we have consistently sought to internationalize the issue of the Presheva Valley because, for years and decades, we have been unable to find a reasonable voice in Belgrade someone willing to listen and sit down with Albanians to resolve the problems that are vital to our future.
RTK: This is a long-awaited unification that has finally happened, although the campaign has also been quite exhausting. What challenges did you face during the campaign? What was the atmosphere on the ground? Was it hostile, harsh or aggressive in the areas where you campaigned?
Shaip Kamberi: This time, the campaign has been more relaxed in the sense that all the parties are participating. Each is contributing in an effort to achieve the best possible result.
However, a fierce campaign against us is being waged by Aleksandar Vučić, Serbia’s former president and the SNS candidate for prime minister. He portrays the unity of Albanians as hostility, foreign interference and an attempt to destabilize Serbia.
In reality, our goal is to strengthen our voice in Parliament and increase our representation so that we can put forward our demands more forcefully. These are demands we have been presenting to Serbia for years. They are based not only on domestic legislation and international standards but also on four political agreements reached with governments in Belgrade that remain unimplemented.
Vučić appears to be portraying us as enemies, using various labels and calling both me personally and our electoral list extremists. He may be doing this to justify the continued and systematic discrimination against Albanians during his campaign and potentially throughout a new term in office.
RTK: Making the voice of Albanians in the Presheva Valley heard has been a central demand throughout this campaign. With the election results, you may be able to achieve something. Mr. Kamberi, what is your appeal to Albanians ahead of October 25, particularly those in the Presheva Valley who are hoping for change and stronger representation in the Serbian Parliament?
Shaip Kamberi: This is an important campaign. I understand that it is exhausting, especially since we have had parliamentary elections four times over the past six years. We have not received adequate responses to all our demands, but it remains very important for us to strengthen our voice and secure more parliamentary seats.
This is not a battle for one seat or two seats, or even just three. We will aim for three or more.
It is therefore crucial that every Albanian citizen living in the Presheva Valley turns out to vote and supports number 17. We are also calling on all our compatriots who live and work in Kosovo to travel there on Sunday, vote and help us increase Albanian parliamentary representation and strengthen the voice of reason and the demands of Albanians.
RTK: In 20 seconds, what do you expect from Kosovo and Albania in this regard?
Shaip Kamberi: I expect a joint state strategy focused on the Presheva Valley and the implementation of the joint fund for the region, an initiative approved at a joint meeting of the two governments in Prizren several years ago.
