Albanian Deputy in Serbian Parliament Shaip Kamberi has recently addressed a letter to the President, Aleksandar Vucic as well as to the ambassadors of the US and of the OSCE in Belgrade, expressing some of the main worries of Albanian community in the Presevo Valley due to the increasing discrimination against Albanians. Albanian Daily News asked MP Kamberi about this new move in defence of the democratic rights of Albanians in the Valley and elsewhere in Serbia in an exclusive interview. “Since 2013 we have constantly tried to convince Belgrade to respect and start implementing the 7-point Plan, the essential component of which is the equal integration of Albanians in state institutions: judiciary, police, inspections, health system, customs, cadastre, etc,” said the Albanian MP, the only Albanian legislator in the 250-seat parliament of Serbia. But, according to him, Serbia continues the state discrimination of Albanians, while the internationals are silent about this. “My letter addressed to the two diplomats as well as to the autocratic Serbian president himself denounced these violations.”  But as it is being seen, said Mr. Kamberi, the international community does not react to the "quiet boys" in Belgrade. “We should probably start becoming “troublemaker guys”.”

The Albanian MP repeated his proposal that the only solution for the Presevo Valley remains its inclusion in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. “If Mr. Lajcak and Mr. Borell have refused to accept this, I hope that the new EU mediator for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue will not ignore our request for the establishment of a functioning peace in the Western Balkans, which can only be achieved when the rights of minorities are treated symmetrically.” 

According to Mr. Kamberi after Vucic managed to convince the Westerners with his new ‘fur’ that he has become a democrat, has now openly come to the forefront of the idea of the Serbian World, which means Serbia's territorial aspiration towards Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo. “This scheme does not build peace, this idea can only follow one way - that of the third Balkan War.”   

Touching upon the deadlock of the EU mediate Pristina-Belgrade dialogue Vucic wants to make an agreement only on the points that suit Serbia and concretely he insists on the decision to create the Association without signing the Basic Agreement. “Brnabi?'s letter to the European capitals that Serbia will not respect the parts of the agreement that do not suit it is the best proof of what Serbia wants. The problem lies in the fact that international mediators, even silently, have let Vucic understand that this might even be possible. Therefore, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti is right when he firstly requests the signature of the Basic Agreement.”

In conclusion MP Kamberi pointed out that inactivity of Albanians does not help. “We see that Serbia spends millions on lobbying. Albanians have lagged behind in this aspect. Even our Diaspora, especially that in the US should change the approach of passivity to be closer to the decision-making factors in that country,” said Albanian Deputy in Serb Parliament Shaip Kamberi in the following interview

Albanian MP in Serb Parliament Shaip Kamberi: As you know, since 2013 we have constantly tried to convince Belgrade to respect and start implementing the 7-point Plan, the essential component of which is the equal integration of Albanians in state institutions: judiciary, police, inspections, health system, customs, cadastre, etc. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAS THE GUARANTEE OF THIS AGREEMENT, while the head of the OSCE Mission in Belgrade, Ambassador Jan Brathau, and the US Ambassador in Belgrade, Chris Hill, have agreed to mediate with the Serbian government to start the implementation of the Seven- Point Plan.

A few days ago we witnessed the next discriminatory decision for Albanians, which favors Serbian members against the constitutional norms, the Law against discrimination, the Law on minorities and the Rules of Procedure of the High Judicial Council itself. Precisely, in the competition announced by the High Judicial Council of Serbia, to accept two judges in Bujanoc, two Serbian candidates were selected from the list of 13 candidates, even though there were two Albanian candidates who had passed the exam for judges with the highest grade (5).

This decision to admit two Serbs instead of two Albanians to the position of judges in the Basic Court in Bujanoc, where Albanians are only symbolically represented has further increased the ethnic composition of this institution in favor of Serbs contrary to the norms. The work regulation of the High Judicial Council is clear. When the judges for the multi-ethnic municipalities are selected, the candidates of the national minorities have priority, even if their grades are lower than the grades of the Serbian candidates. Naturally, this is to build ethnic balance in the composition of the institutions. As it can be seen, Serbia continues the state discrimination of Albanians, while the internationals are silent about this. My letter addressed to the two diplomats as well as to the autocratic Serbian president himself denounced these violations.

This reaction means the continuation of our institutional fight for Albanians’ rights. But as it is being seen, the international community does not react to the "quiet boys" in Belgrade. We should probably start becoming “troublemaker guys”.

-As a matter of fact it is not the first time you raise your voice in defense of the rights of Albanians like free citizens in their lands to be equal as the other citizens in Serbia. Which has been the reaction of the Serb authorities to such demands and as a follow up please could you shed some light on the real situation in Presevo Valley currently?

- Serbia keeps being ‘deaf’ to every legitimate request we have. It continues to violate the signed agreements, while the excessive international tolerance towards the Serbian president, who is causing problems with his own initiatives in every corner of the Western Balkans.

-In the meantime which has been the reaction of the US Embassy and particularly of the OSCE as an organization which has been established having as one of its tasks the protection of the rights of minorities? Are you satisfied with the stance of the internationals regarding these issues and how much pressure do they exert on Serb authorities?

- No, not at all. International reaction to this racist discrimination is too soft and only formal. Unfortunately, even our awareness campaign that we are doing in the European capitals has not yet given the right results. There are a few statements, a Resolution and nothing more. The candidate state for joining the EU, Serbia, keeps trampling the rights of Albanians in the rudest way and this is happening in silence. This situation itself gives us even more evidence that the only solution for the Presevo Valley remains its inclusion in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. If Mr. Lajcak and Mr. Borrell have refused to accept this, I hope that the new EU mediator for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue will not ignore our request for the establishment of a functioning peace in the Western Balkans, which can only be considered when the rights of minorities are treated symmetrically.  

-Mr. Kamberi it remains unforgettable your quotation of the late world famous boxer, Mohammed Ali who was quoted as having said that at least half of the audiences were so much exalted to ‘see him dead’ when he entered the ring. Please what can you say about this comparison as the only Albanian deputy in the Serb Parliament? 

- The quote of Mohammed Ali, who for me is not only "the greatest" boxer, but also a relentless fighter for the rights of black people, was a metaphor. The effort made by the party of Vucic and Dacic in the parliamentary elections in 2022 clearly has shown their desire not to see me in Parliament again. But, fortunately, not everyone thinks as the opponents do. Our commitment has made it clear that success is possible if we act together. In this fight for rights, any help that the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Albania can give is vital for us, but it is crucial that the international community begins to seriously deal with the Serbian autocrat who is fighting the Albanians in the Presevo Valley with racism and xenophobia.

- Let me touch about the situation in the WB and it is worrying the latest warning of Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska entity, of the proposal for "peaceful separation" from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which as he said is being prepared. I mentioned this in face of the increasing threats of Serbia towards Kosovo linked with northern part of it, where tension is getting higher and higher. Do you see any plans of Belgrade in this scenario to create Greater Serbia?

- The "Serbian World" project is the continuation of the Greater Serbia scheme even though it has received different names at different stages. "All Serbs in one state", "Serbia is where there is even one Serb" and recently "Serbian World", are part of the same project of the expansion of Serbia in all directions to go out to sea. "Without access to the sea, Serbia is a prisoner of war," Cvijic said, while Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Pasic declared that "Albania is Serbia's Achilles heel". So Vucic, after he managed to convince the Westerners with his new ‘fur’ that he has become a democrat, has now openly come to the forefront of the idea of the Serbian World, which means Serbia's territorial aspiration towards Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo. This idea does not build peace, this idea can only follow one way - that of the third Balkan War. Therefore, it is important that it becomes clear to both Dodik and Vucic that the prolongation of the conflicts will be the biggest disaster for Serbia itself. Otherwise they will continue with their destabilizing policy.

-In the meantime the latest EU mediated Pristina – Belgrade dialogue at the highest level in Brussels failed. What do you think about this deadlock as Belgrade does not give up his scheme of refusing to implement the Basic Agreement accusing Pristina of the failure of the dialogue? According to you, which is the real target of Belgrade regarding North Kosovo?

- Vucic wants to make an agreement only on the points that suit Serbia. He wants the decision to create the Association without signing the Basic Agreement. Brnabi?'s letter to the European capitals that Serbia will not respect the parts of the agreement that do not suit it is the best proof of what Serbia wants. The problem lies in the fact that international mediators, even silently, have let Vucic understand that this might even be possible. Therefore, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti is right when he firstly requests the signature of the Basic Agreement.

-To conclude, do you think that it is high time that at these turbulent times in the WB and the world the Albanian factor should become more united and be more active diplomatically, especially in international organizations?

-Definitely, inactivity does not help. We see that Serbia spends millions on lobbying. Albanians have lagged behind in this aspect. Even our Diaspora, especially that in the US, should change the approach of passivity to be closer to the decision-making factors in that country.