“Why is democracy being sacrificed in favor of stabilocracy? Serbia is a country with a controlled judiciary and media, a country in which hate speech, xenophobia and racism are flourishing under the protectorate of the state,” said Albanian MP Kamberi 

Genc Mlloja 
Senior Diplomatic Editor  

Albanian Daily News had an exclusive interview with the Albanian Deputy in the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi on the latest political developments in Serbia among which the scene of violent chaos between the majority and the opposition in Parliament in the recent days when Prime Minister Brnabic took the floor was the highlight.   
“The resistance to the Serbian president A. Vucic taking place in the streets of cities and towns in Serbia under the motto "Stop the violence!" has been transferred to the last session of Serbian parliament,” said Kamberi,   
According to him, both Vucic’s majority and the opposition use the ‘cooperation with Kurti’ before the elections as an accusation against each other considering it like the most appropriate topic for their anti-Albanianism. “Albanophobia is still a growing phenomenon in Serbia.”  
Kamberi was of the opinion that the statement of Brnabic in Slovenia Summit where she told Albanians not to ask for rights as it's enough that Serbs were not killing them is the Serb mentality that this is the peak of the rights of a minority in Serbia. 
But the Albanian deputy was more worried over the endless tolerant limits of Brussels and Washington towards the destabilizing policies of Belgrade. “Why is democracy being sacrificed in favor of stabilocracy? Serbia is a country with a controlled judiciary and media, a country in which hate speech, xenophobia and racism are flourishing under the protectorate of the state, the only country in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on Russia and continues to be ‘cuddled’ by international centers. These centers of international political decision-making owe us the answer.” 
In the meantime Kamberi said that there is not yet any publicly expressed position of Washington and Brussels on the internal political developments in Serbia. “But the international community has only one interlocutor in power and is thinking that Vucic is a more serious interlocutor. Therefore, even for the moment they defend the status quo,” he said.   
Asked about the Serbian scheme for the creation of a Republika Srpska in Kosovo’s northern areas, which is the Gordian knot of the entire impasse of the Pristina-Belgrade talks, the Albanian MP in Serb Parliament said that Kosovo is not in an easy position. “The model of Srpska in Bosnia has shown to be harmful and destabilizing. The international community is clear about this. Therefore, Kosovo is doing well to reject it. Kosovo's initiative should be the application of equality in relation to minority communities in Kosovo and Serbia.”     
Regarding the threatening statement of Serb PM against Albanian community in the Presheva Valley in Slovenia Summit, Kamberi said he had not come across any official reaction of official Tirana. “Of course, since we are in a campaign to sensitize the international community about the situation in the Presheva Valley, it would be good for Albanian representatives to be present in the regional and multilateral initiatives aimed at building a new Balkans. We were not invited to the Tirana summit (on Berlin process),” said Albanian MP in Serbian Parliament Shaip Kamberi in the following interview:  

Albanian Daily News: Mr. Deputy, you were present as a representative of the Albanian population in the Presheva Valley at the resumption of the autumn session of the Serbian Parliament, which became the scene of real chaos between the majority and the opposition in recent days, especially when Prime Minister Brnabic took the floor. What were the demands of the opposition and how determined are its representatives to realize what has been happening for months in the streets of Belgrade with massive anti-government protests? 
Albanian MP in Serbian Parliament Shaip Kamberi: The resistance to the Serbian president A. Vucic taking place in the streets of cities and towns in Serbia under the motto "Stop the violence!" has been transferred to the last session of Serbian parliament. The demands made by the opposition were the call for the fulfillment of the demands that the citizens are making in the anti-Vucic rallies. However, as they have done so far, the parliamentary majority ignored the demands of the opposition, and continued the work under the opposition noise. 
The elections in Serbia at the parliamentary level and in Belgrade municipality are the major demands of the opposition. Elections are likely imminent and as a matter of fact Vucic had also warned of such a possibility earlier. The issue is when they will be held. It depends on Vucic's assessment, which date will be more suitable. The opposition hopes that they will manage to win Belgrade if its forces are united as a whole in the new elections. The issue is what vision a united opposition will have, which will be composed of the "pro-European" wing as they are called here, and the new neo-Nazis such as "Dveri" of Boshko Obradovi? and "Zavetnici" of Milica Stamenkovski. 

- PM Brnabic compared the situation in the Serbian parliament with the work of the Kosovo parliament, saying that the opposition is using the tactics of PM Albin Kurti of his Vetevendosje party when he was in the opposition. What is behind this provocation of hers with this comparison, and in your opinion, is the departure of Vucic and his followers from power expected to bring any change in the attitude of Belgrade towards Kosovo and the Albanian community in the Valley? 
- It was a tactic of the government, because by accusing the opposition of cooperation with Kosovo and Kurti, they tried to disappoint their followers. On the same day, even from the ranks of the opposition, criticism was heard directed at Vucic for being "Albin Kurti's partner". This is a situation that is used in Serbia whenever there is an internal crisis, because, according to them, there is no greater betrayal than cooperating with the Albanians. 
In such circumstances, one cannot expect any change in the official attitudes towards Kosovo, and even less towards the Albanians in the Presheva Valley. The time before the elections is the time for the mobilization of the people sharing the same attitudes. The most appropriate topic for this is anti-Albanianism. Albanophobia is still a growing phenomenon in Serbia. 

-Mr. Kamberi, the Serbian Prime Minister's statement at the Bled summit in Slovenia a few days ago addressed the Albanian community in the Valley as follows: "Don't ask for rights, it's enough that we're not killing you!" Your immediate reaction that 'Serbia is trying to build standards that do not exist in any other country' is meaningful for those who want to understand. My question is, firstly, how do you consider the courage of the number two in the Serbian leadership to make such a cruel racist statement, and secondly, what are the limits of the tolerant silence of Brussels, Washington and the Balkan neighbors towards such an unprecedented statement in a 'democratic' country in the 21st century, which proves the continuation of Serbia's genocidal platform towards the Albanian community in the Valley and beyond? 
- Brnabic said that no one can shoot at Albanians and not be persecuted. According to her, this is the peak of the rights of a minority. That's why we read her message like this: “Don't ask for rights, it's enough that we're not killing you!" Albanophobia is an inseparable part of the official policy in Serbia, as it is the denial of war crimes and the relativization of them, the glorification of convicted criminals, and the attempt to revise history. These are the premises on which the "Serbian World" project (read: Greater Serbia) is being tried to be realized, therefore the exoneration of Serbia for the crimes of the wars of the 1990s according to the formula "everyone has committed crimes" aims at realizing Milosevic's aspirations "all Serbs in one state".   
More worrying than this goal of Serbia is the endless tolerant limits of Brussels and Washington towards these destabilizing policies of Belgrade. It is a fact that all renowned world organizations describe Serbia as a "hybrid democracy" state. The problem is that Brussels and Berlin, Paris and Washington are aware of this, but they are delaying policies that could lead the Balkans to new wars. Why is democracy being sacrificed in favor of stabilocracy? Serbia is a country with a controlled judiciary and media, a country in which hate speech, xenophobia and racism are flourishing under the protectorate of the state, the only country in Europe that has not imposed sanctions on Russia and continues to be ‘cuddled’ by international centers. These centers of international political decision-making owe us the answer. 

-Meanwhile, Mr. Kamberi, what is the attitude of the US and the EU towards these rapid developments in Belgrade’s internal political forces, or are they just interested in maintaining the status quo with the Vucic presidency? In addition, is the West afraid of changes on the political scene in Belgrade and if so why is this happening when the current leadership has not changed anything in the 'fraternal’ relationship with Russia in its occupation war against Ukraine? 
- We still do not have a publicly expressed position. It is very clear that the opposition, both in terms of the number of subjects and in terms of political vision, is heterogeneous, without a leader, who will lead this organization; it is difficult to determine at this moment. On the other hand, the international community has only one interlocutor in power and is thinking that Vucic is a more serious interlocutor. Therefore, even for the moment they defend the status quo. But, as it usually happens with international politics, they are, I believe, in the phase of evaluating the destabilizing potential of the opposition. If they estimate that they can become a partner, the approach can also change. Even so, internationally renowned, high-profile media have issued serious accusations against the Vucic government for collaboration with crime, destabilizing attempts and nationalism. At this stage, the West is assessing the situation. 

- Please allow me to touch on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, specifically the Serbian scheme for the creation of a Srpska Republika (Serbian Republic) through the association of the Serbian minority in the north of Kosovo, which is the Gordian knot of the entire impasse of the talks. What is your opinion on this vital issue for the people of Kosovo and beyond? 
- Kosovo is not in an easy position. Between what was signed earlier and Belgrade's claims to build a new "Srpska", a solution must be found. At the moment, the dialogue, which many have declared dead, does not give any hope for the things to be fixed soon. Especially not in the circumstances when Serbia may go to elections. The model of Srpska in Bosnia has shown to be harmful and destabilizing. The international community is clear about this. Therefore, Kosovo is doing well to reject it. Kosovo's initiative should be the application of equality in relation to minority communities in Kosovo and Serbia.    

- Croatia's model for national minorities is often mentioned as an alternative. In your opinion, does this model constitute an opportunity to unlock the impasse where the talks have entered, and in this context, what are your expectations for the announced meeting between Kurti and Vucic in Brussels on September 14? 
- Any model that disables a new Serbia and defunctionalizes Kosovo must be rejected. New solutions should bring stability and avoid possible conflicts. But the new solutions cannot only deal with selective minorities. They should be applied symmetrically. 

- In conclusion, Mr. Deputy, Albania has condemned every racist attitude and act anywhere in the world in international organizations such as the UN and its relevant human rights agencies. Has there been any initiative by Albanian diplomacy regarding the threat to the lives of the Albanian community in the Presheva Valley by PM Brnabic and in general towards the Serbian genocide in all areas inhabited by Albanians? In the meantime, have representatives from the Valley been invited to participate in meeting of the Berlin process in Tirana in October? 
- I have not come across any official reaction. Of course, since we are in a campaign to sensitize the international community about the situation in the Presheva Valley, it would be good for Albanian representatives to be present in the regional and multilateral initiatives aimed at building a new Balkans. We were not invited to the Tirana summit.