While a protest was held in Tirana in support of former UÇK fighters, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti was in the Netherlands, attending the Congress of the Party of European Socialists and Democrats (PES) in Amsterdam.
At this congress, Vetëvendosje elevated its status within PES, becoming an associated party, the highest level a party from a non-EU member state can achieve within a European political family.
In his speech to the delegates, Kurti thanked PES leaders for accepting Vetëvendosje and emphasized Kosovo’s commitment to European values of democracy, justice, and solidarity. He also urged the European Union to lift punitive measures against Kosovo and to deliver the EU accession questionnaire, marking a step toward candidate status.
Attending the congress alongside Kurti were Alim Rama, PES Organizational Secretary of Vetëvendosje, and Tinka Kurti, a member of the party’s presidency.
At the end of his speech, Kurti called on European progressive forces to strengthen unity and democracy in the face of new challenges threatening the continent:
“Let us strengthen democracy and solidarity against the dark forces of the new fascism and together write the history of new social-democratic thought and action for the good of all European citizens,” Kurti said.
