“It is unfortunate the reality that the West has not yet found an alternative to Vucic in Serbia. The West is not even working to build another pro-European political alternative. Vucic knows this well, which is why he has the comfort to balance between Western pressure and flattering depictions of Russia.” This is what the Albanian Deputy in the Serbian Parliament, Shaip Kamberi said in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News, which focused on the political situation in Serbia as well as what will happen in that country after the decision of President Aleksandar Vucic to dissolve the Parliament and hold parliamentary and local elections on December 17 this year initially scheduled to be held by 30 April 2026.

 “The new elections will not significantly change the political scene in Belgrade or bring about a new approach of Serbia to the main problems. In fact, the elections are for Vucic an opportunity to buy time for hot topics like Kosovo, sanctions against Russia, internal democratization, etc.

Asked if one of the reasons for Vucic to dissolve Parliament and hold elections in the atmosphere of the end of the year holidays was dialogue with Kosovo, MP Kamberi thinks that the elections are giving Serb President an opportunity to prolong decision-making regarding the issue of relations with Kosovo because he believes relying on previous experience that the pressure will not last long. “After the new elections, new circumstances are created, and Vucic will produce new topics to distract international pressure. Since next year is an election year in the United States and Europe, he calculates that the level of current international pressure will drop and a situation would be created for him to not even be faced with the "de facto recognition" of Kosovo.”

Touching upon the stance of Albanians in Presheva Valley regarding the holding of early parliamentary and local elections, Kamberi, the chairman of the United Albanian coalition who won enough votes in the 2022 elections to represent the Presheva Valley in the Serbian Parliament, was worried that participation in parliamentary elections and political representation at that level are not producing changes in Serbian policy towards Albanians and the Presheva Valley. “The economic and political situation is grave, migration is high and expectations for new promising perspectives for the region are being minimized.” According to him, the frequent repetition of elections, in fact, discourages the Albanian electorate from participating.

“It will be a real challenge to convince people to participate in the elections. When we have before our eyes the existing political divisions, the task of preserving the parliamentary representation, which I think is important in order not to silence the critical voice of Albanians in parliament in face of the injustices committed by Serbia,” said the Albanian Deputy in the Parliament of Serbia, Shaip Kamberi in the following interview:  

Albanian Daily News:  Mr. Kamberi, how is the atmosphere in the political circles and the people in Serbia after the decision of President Aleksandar Vucic to dissolve the parliament and to lead the country to early parliamentary and local elections?

Albanian MP in Serbian Parliament Shaip  Kamberi: Serbia, as a country that is currently in the EU integration process, is not a democratic country. It is a personal autocracy of its president, whose political will depends on the longevity of the government and other state institutions. In the period 2020-2023, in just three years, three parliamentary elections have been held, which testifies to the political instability of Vucic's power, which claims to turn it into absolutism. Unfortunately, the latest polls, which were announced immediately after the announcement of the parliamentary and partially local elections, show that the so-called "pro-European" opposition has the support of only 20 percent of Serbs. There may be a drop in support for Vucic's party, but that lost vote will go to the far-right parties that oppose European integration, oppose the agreement with Kosovo and are for closer ties with Russia and China. So, instead of democratization, Serbia is being radicalized. The new elections will not significantly change the political scheme or bring about a new approach of Serbia to the main problems. In fact, for Vucic, the elections are an opportunity to buy time for hot topics (Kosovo, sanctions against Russia, internal democratization, etc.).

- Mr. Deputy, what are the main reasons for this decision by Vucic, which in fact was expected in the face of increasing pressure from the opposition with systematic massive protests against the government? So, is this pressure from the opposition or are there other reasons for Vucic's withdrawal from his previous stance of no changes to the government except in 2024?

- The protests were one of the tools that the opposition used to put pressure on Vucic. But, in fact, there were two incidents of mass murder that happened in the first part of this year in Serbia, which showed the fragility of Vucic's power. This and the drop in support for his party in many municipalities, the increasing pressure for an Agreement with Kosovo after the terrorist attack in Banjska and Vucic's intention to buy time to deal with these problems, I believe, influenced his decision to take the country to elections.

- Meanwhile, there are opinions from experts that the absence of the parliament until mid- December to be followed by the atmosphere of Christmas will give Vucic enough time to delay any decision regarding Kosovo after the growing international pressure on him for an agreement that implies de facto recognition of Kosovo. Could this be one of the reasons for Vucic to dissolve the parliament?

- The President of Serbia does not miss a single opportunity to repeat his position that he will not recognize Kosovo, even when the meeting in Ohrid ended, even after the meetings in Brussels, even when he addresses the internal public opinion. He keeps repeating the fact that he will not recognize Kosovo, which means clearly that he does not want an agreement with Kosovo. In fact, he does not even want normalization of relations with Kosovo. The normalization of relations with Kosovo and the relevant agreement would mark the end of the dream for the "Serbian World", whose aspiration is a greater Serbia by any means.  

The elections are giving him an opportunity to prolong decision-making in this direction, because he believes in previous experience that the pressure will not last long. After the new elections, new circumstances are created, and Vucic will produce new topics to distract international pressure. Since next year is an election year in the United States and Europe, he calculates that the level of current international pressure will drop and a situation would be created for him to not even be faced with the "de facto recognition" of Kosovo.

- How was such an event received in the Albanian community in the Valley because after all this government has continued the old policy of discrimination against Albanians in different forms? Faced with this reality, is it expected that the Albanian community will join forces in the future actions, because the largest possible representation in the parliament would contribute to making the Albanian voice heard much more in parliament as you have done with determination and courage alone in a parliamentary hall that was completely anti- Albanian?

- In fact, participation in parliamentary elections and political representation at that level are not producing changes in Serbian policy towards Albanians and the Presheva Valley. The economic and political situation is grave, migration is high and expectations for new promising perspectives for the region are being minimized.

The frequent repetition of elections, in fact, discourages the Albanian electorate from participating. It will be a real challenge to convince people to participate in the elections. When we have before our eyes the existing political divisions, the task of preserving the parliamentary representation, which I think is important in order not to silence the critical voice of Albanians in face of the injustices committed by Serbia.

- In conclusion, Mr. Deputy is there any possibility that there will be a change in the balance of forces on the political scene of Belgrade in the face of the internal situation, but also against the background of international factors? On the one hand, the West is increasing pressure on Vucic to resolve the conflict with Kosovo, and on the other Putin's Russia continues to rely on the unwavering support of Serbia, which challenges the EU line by not imposing sanctions against the aggressor of Ukraine…

- Russian influence in Serbia is great. It is not personified only in one or a few people. Therefore, the removal of Vulin, the head of the national intelligence agency of Serbia (BIA), is a tactic of Vucic to reduce the pressure.      

What is more important is the reality that the West has not yet found an alternative to Vucic in Serbia. The West is not even working to build another pro-European political alternative. Vucic knows this well, which is why he has the comfort to balance between Western pressure and flattering Russia.

A qualitative change in Serbia can only happen when the West identifies and begins to cooperate with a Serbian political alternative that has no dilemma regarding the European orientation, when it begins to support and strengthen that political force. Until then, Vucic, like Milosevic before him, will continue to balance his foreign policy. In addition Russia probably wants "a friend within the enemy camp of the West". But, such a Serbia should never be allowed within the western liberal democracies. It should either have to reform itself according to Western liberal values or face complete European isolation. Until then, the Serbian leader would be in a situation for considering seriously the necessity of clarity and geopolitical orientation. But anyway he has time to play the role of arsonist in the morning and firefighter in the evening!