Albanian Foreign Minister cautions Kosovo government over decision to open Mitrovica Bridge

According to the Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani the Kosovo government did not consult or inform the Albanian Government about its decision to open the bridge over the Ibër River dividing the Albanian and Serb controlled halves of Mitrovica. The Minister emphasized that such a significant decision that affects the future of Kosovo should be discussed with the countries that contributed to Kosovo’s peace and freedom, Albania first and foremost among them.

Why is this significant

Minister Hasani’s comments represent the most critical stance from Albania regarding the current controversy over the opening of the Mitrovica bridge.

Context

During the Diplo 24 conference of ambassadors, organized over the past three days in Tirana by the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Kosovo was a top priority. Diplomats and politicians discussed ways Albania can continue to assist Kosovo, with the spirit of these efforts summarized by Albania’s President, who called on diplomats to support Kosovo unconditionally. 

However, relations between the two governments have not been at their best recently, and Minister Hasani’s comments reveal Albania’s dissatisfaction with the growing rift between the two countries and Kosovo’s failure to communicate and coordinate with Albania and its other allies on important decisions that impact its negotiations with Serbia and relations with its Serb minority. Tensions have sometimes become public, as evidenced by Tirana’s decision to cancel the joint meeting of the two governments in 2023, during a period of heightened tensions between Kosovo, the EU, and the US.

For a year, there have been no official meetings between the two prime ministers, and even informal discussions at international summits or forums seem to have been avoided. At the heart of the rift are Albania’s and Kosovo’s starkly different visions for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and the future of the region. Kosovo has repeatedly opted for unilateral decisions that have inflamed tensions with Serbia and caused deep irritation among Kosovo’s Western partners, while Albania has called on Kosovo to think strategically and act in unison with its international partners as the best way to ensure a peaceful future for both Kosovo and the Western Balkans.

There is real concern in Albania about the course of action chosen by the Kosovo Government of Albin Kurti and its potential consequences for Kosovo and the region. Over the past years, 10 out of 114 countries that initially recognized Kosovo’s independence have withdrawn their recognition, while Kosovo’s relations with its most important allies, including the EU and US have deteriorated significantly, with the EU going so far as to impose political and economic sanctions.