Albanian parties of the Presevo Valley sign the “Albanian Coalition” for Serbia’s October 25 elections

Representatives of the Albanian political parties of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac agreed in Pristina on a joint coalition list, called the “Albanian Coalition,” for the early parliamentary elections in Serbia on October 25. The agreement was reached in the office of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who called reaching it “potentially historic” for the Albanians of the “Presevo Valley,” as the newspaper Danas reports.

“Today, in the Prime Minister’s office, representatives of the political entities from Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja agreed on the joint list ‘Albanian Coalition’ for the parliamentary elections in Serbia. After talks and efforts to harmonize positions, the will for cooperation turned into a shared commitment,” Kurti wrote on Facebook, as Danas quotes.

The list of leaders Kurti thanked for the agreement includes Shaip Kamberi (Party for Democratic Action), Visar Memeti (Alternative for Change), Nagip Arifi (Democratic Party), Agim Sabedini (Democratic Party of Albanians), Šiprim Musliu (Movement for Democratic Progress), Sami Salihu (Movement for Reform), Armend Aliju (Albanian Alternative) and Naser Aziri (Albanian Democratic Union). Kurti also thanked the chairman of the Albanian National Council, Enkel Rexhepi, the mayor of Presevo Ardita Sinani and the mayor of Bujanovac Arbër Pajaziti.

In his announcement, the Kosovo Prime Minister emphasized the asymmetry of rights: Serbs in Kosovo have 10 of the 120 guaranteed seats in the Assembly of Kosovo, so the Albanians of the “Presevo Valley” should have at least 5 guaranteed seats in the Assembly of Serbia, which has 250 deputies. “Guaranteed representation is a principle that must apply in Pristina as well as with our northern neighbor, with equal respect for equality and rights,” Kurti’s announcement says, according to Danas.

Kurti also stressed that Kosovo will continue to stand by the Albanians of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, supporting their rights, identity and well-being, with a focus on protection from the discriminatory erasure of residential addresses, fair representation in public institutions and economic development. “Dignified representation requires persistence in the face of injustice, prudence in decision-making and dedication to people’s needs,” he added in his post.