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Albin Kurti has been Prime Minister of Kosovo since 2021.
Leah HartmannEditor Politics
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti (47) is like most high-ranking WEF participants: his agenda is jam-packed. Before he rushes to a meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin (37) on Tuesday afternoon, Blick meets him for an interview at the congress center. Shortly beforehand, his spokesman made the condition clear: just one question about Serbia, please. The prime minister would rather talk about Kosovo’s relations with Switzerland. In the end, agreement was reached on a few Serbian issues – because of course that is what is of interest in view of the latest developments in Kosovo.
Blick: Mr. Kurti, has the danger of an escalation in northern Kosovo been averted?
Albin Kurti: At the moment the situation is calm, our police are present. And I recently launched a public call for all Serbs in Kosovo to apply for jobs in the public service, for example in the police force. This comes after Serb officials resigned amid tensions in northern Kosovo. It is not my intention to replace Serbs in the authorities with Albanians! I want Serbs in these positions.
The latest tensions were triggered by a dispute over Serbian car number plates. Looking back, was your foray into this a mistake?
No, I think we did everything right. These old Serbian license plates are a legacy of the Milosevic regime, which used extreme violence against us Albanians. The dispute over mutual recognition of number plates is just a symptom of the core problem that Kosovo and Serbia do not recognize each other. We must achieve a normalization of relations.
History briefly explained: That happened in the Serbia-Kosovo conflict(03:15)
Their goal was once to find an agreement with Serbia by spring. That now seems utopian.
I am optimistic that an agreement can be reached within a few months if the will to reach an agreement is there – and the support of the democratic West, i.e. the EU, NATO, the USA and Great Britain. I have expressed my will to do so. But it takes two sides for an agreement. In order to have long-term peace, security and regional stability, Serbia must distance itself twice: from Milosevic’s past and now from Putin. Because Serbia is getting closer and closer to Russia. Putin wants to fuel the conflict with Kosovo.
What could Switzerland contribute to an agreement?
Peace-loving Switzerland understands us very well – if only because many of our citizens live here. And Switzerland plays an important role: be it in matters of security and defense in Kosovo or with regard to a peace agreement.
On Wednesday you will meet Federal Councilors Viola Amherd and Guy Parmelin. What will you specifically propose?
Who knows, maybe together we can come up with a way for Switzerland to get even more involved. I can’t say more about that yet.
From political prisoner to prime minister
Albin Kurti (47) has been Prime Minister of Kosovo since 2021. His party Lëvizja Vetëvendosje! («Movement self-determination!») is considered progressive and left-wing. Kurti was born in Pristina, joined the Kosovo Liberation Army UCK in 1997. In 1999 he was arrested and imprisoned by the Serbian police during the Kosovo War. After his release, he founded his party in 2005. In 2010, she took part in the parliamentary elections for the first time and was immediately the third strongest party. Kurti is married to a Norwegian political scientist and they have a daughter.
Albin Kurti (47) has been Prime Minister of Kosovo since 2021. His party Lëvizja Vetëvendosje! («Movement self-determination!») is considered progressive and left-wing. Kurti was born in Pristina, joined the Kosovo Liberation Army UCK in 1997. In 1999 he was arrested and imprisoned by the Serbian police during the Kosovo War. After his release, he founded his party in 2005. In 2010, she took part in the parliamentary elections for the first time and was immediately the third strongest party. Kurti is married to a Norwegian political scientist and they have a daughter.
In Switzerland, the largest party, the SVP, is demanding that Switzerland withdraw its soldiers from Kosovo. What would that mean?
We are very grateful to Switzerland for the contribution that Swisscoy is making in Kosovo. We wouldn’t like to see it withdraw its soldiers from Kosovo. Now is not the right time for that. Serbia has built 48 military bases on our border, which pose a threat to our country. Mercenaries from the Wagner group and the notorious Night Wolves gang have been sighted near them. We need Swiss support and I look forward to Switzerland extending its mandate to 2026 soon.
They call for an increase in NATO troops. Why?
I have signaled my interest in an increase – but of course it is up to NATO to decide. I think the fact that we have a larger neighbor who doesn’t recognize us and who is increasingly collaborating with the Kremlin should encourage NATO to increase its presence. This reduces the likelihood of future conflicts.
Are you afraid of Vladimir Putin?
I’m careful but I’m never afraid. I am vigilant. Putin is obsessed with our country. He was pleased about the lack of success of western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The fact that they were successful in Kosovo makes him angry and nervous.
With what intention did you travel to the WEF?
The WEF is primarily about attracting new investors to our country. Kosovo is a constitutional state, our economy is growing, we have talented youth, the average age of the population is just 31 years. This makes us very attractive for investors.
Will you also do this commercial at the meeting with Business Minister Guy Parmelin?
Relations between Kosovo and Switzerland are excellent. We should see how we can get more trade and investment. Last year, Swiss investments in Kosovo increased by 44 percent compared to the previous year. I look forward to building on that.
What is your relationship to Switzerland?
I have many friends here. Switzerland was a haven for our opposition and is the home of our working class, which is extremely important to us with the money transfers home. I will never forget that former Federal Councilor Micheline Calmy-Rey was the first Western politician to call for full independence for Kosovo. She was a pioneer.
Switzerland is also home to some excellent football players with Kosovar roots. These caused controversy again at the World Cup, when Granit Xhaka donned a jersey with the inscription Jashari, the name of the first commander of the former Kosovan Liberation Army (UCK), after the victory against Serbia. Are you okay with such political statements on the soccer field?
It depends. I think statements against racism are right and important. And if someone honors their identity, that’s fine with me too.
Do you have a message for Xhaka, Shaqiri and Co?
Thank you for inspiring so many young talents to play football. Also in Kosovo.
Let’s get back to politics. You are in close contact with SP co-president Cédric Wermuth. Is there anything you would like to learn from the Swiss Social Democrats?
Cédric is a good friend of mine. Our parties belong to the same ideological family. Therefore, on Thursday we will sign a memorandum of understanding and cooperation for 2023 to 2025 between our two parties. It will be about political dialogue, development aid, business, education, but also cooperation in elections. Because we have many Kosovars in Switzerland who are members of the SP and at the same time of my party, Vetevendësje. We want to help each other with campaigns.
So, in the run-up to the 2025 elections in Kosovo, the SP will advertise for your party – and you, conversely, this year for the SP?
Well, we’ll see what the cooperation looks like exactly. But the intention is that we support each other in the election campaign. With the goal that we both gain strength.