Kupchan: Kurti has political instinct – long in power and winning elections – his moves are harming the country

Kupchan: Kurti has political instinct – long in power and winning elections – his moves are harming the country

Renowned American professor and international politics expert, Charles Kupchan, has assessed that the acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, is an efficient politician with good political instinct, but that his recent actions may have undermined the country’s progress in relation to the international community.

Kupchan said Kurti’s return to power and his political stability are proof of his political skills. However, he criticized his approach to topics such as dialogue with Serbia and relations with international partners.

“The fact that he has been in power for so long and has won the elections is a sign of his political skills. With that said, I think Kurti has to some extent overplayed the nationalist game,” Kupchan said on Tëvë1,

According to him, the Kurti Government’s approach to issues such as the appointment of mayors in the north, the license plate issue, the decision to change the currency, and the lack of progress in forming the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities have contributed to the perception of Kosovo as one of the obstacles to dialogue with Serbia.

“Until now, most people thought that Serbia was the problem. Now the feeling has been created that Kosovo is also part of the problem,” he said.

Kupchan emphasized that although these decisions are legal and in line with Kosovo’s sovereignty, they do not necessarily translate into wise policy at the regional and international levels.

“I think these steps have had a good effect on the country, on nationalist sentiments in the country, but in a broader sense, they have not done Kosovo any good in the eyes of the international community. They have perhaps even made it more difficult to progress the dialogue with Serbia. If the question is whether the prime minister has the legal right to take these steps, then the answer is yes. Kosovo is a sovereign country, it should have control over the entire territory and all institutions that are within the country’s borders. Just because something is legal and within the Constitution, does not mean that it is good policy. It does not mean that it advances Kosovo when we are talking about regional relations and more broadly,” he declared.

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