Albin Kurti speaks for the first time after the clash with Rama: Thaci got it wrong, it's closed.

Albin Kurti et in an exclusive interview for the TemA newspaper about the clash he had with Edi Rama, developments in Kosovo and its ongoing idea of national unity.

Kurti, a few days ago, was reacted to Albania's prime minister's statement, Mr. Rama over the Kosovo prime minister's stance on the demarcation of the Kosovo Kury -- Montenegro -- what was it that disturbed you so much in that statement?

I think Mr. Rama has come as a consequence of a lack of full information on the issue, or as a consequence of any mismanagement ordered by Mr. Thaci, who is very interested in implementing the unfair agreement on demarcation. But that agreement will not be implemented, because expert arguments, but documents also show that demarcation line is wrong. Of course there will be another agreement for demarcation, and the straight line between Kosovo and Montenegro will be established. It is estimated that the Montenegrin side is not insisting on the quartial line Thaci claims, and is open to discussion.

We reacted to correct what seemed wrong. But we think this debate is already closed, since Mr. Rama acknowledged that he is a person who does not forgive either sea or land, and that is exactly what we expect from him and from every Albanian politician. The Albanian sea and land are both equally important, and they are issues of national foreign sovereignty, and as such, they are not politicians, but people. So I think that no politician should forgive either sea or land.

The reactions of Montenegro and the US and the EU authorities seem to be no popular topic to reopen the contents of the demarcation agreement. Do you believe that the commission Prime Minister Haradinaj appointed with experts opposing the demarcation will have the courage to defend its position before international partners?

The favorite subject for them may not be, for they are certainly interested in closing the matter down as quickly as possible. But this is about Kosovo territory, and we cannot allow speed to be at the expense of justice.

I repeat that we are not interested in delaying the demarcation agreement, but only in correcting it. The cure should be fair, according to historical map documents.

I am hopeful that experts and scientists who have professional integrity will maintain the same attitude. Also, I think Mr. Haradinaj will not be released in this direction. He has stated this himself in an answer that Mr. Rama.

How do you think the agreement for the Kosovo Assembly on the Thaci version of the demarcation would be resolved right and without consequences?

The deal must be renegotiated. But the version on which renegotiation should begin should be a version worked by academics and experts from historical cartogra and geogra.

This renegotiation does not prevent any important geopolitical process. Currently Montenegro is in NATO, and Kosovo is certainly aspiring to Euro-Atlantic integrations, so we are basically on the same geopolitical side as Montenegro. This situation favours understanding between Kosovo and Montenegro. Kosovo does not seek land for Montenegro, and Montenegro does not believe it seeks Kosovo land.

In fact, what is called a demarcation agreement is neither a deal nor a demarcation agreement, because it can't be a deal unless it's finalised in the Kosovo Assembly, nor a demarcation, since the preliminary Commission has made decomposition, respectively, not demarcation. That demarcation agreement remained only a deal of the then foreign and interior ministers, Mr. Hashim Thaci and Mr. Skender Hyseni, with their Montenegrin counterparts.

If you again come to the Kosovo Assembly inconsistencies with what your demands are, will we see the scenes of two years ago?

I don't think this deal is coming to the Parliament. The current government is very weak and can at any moment lose the majority, so I don't believe they will deal with problematic issues like demarcation of “Zajednica”. We expect this government to deal with economic development, the establishment of justice, fighting corruption. If this government wants to cause trouble for itself, it will be worse for it.

As for the protests in the Assembly, I don't think there will be any more need for the reasons I mentioned above, but also for the fact that the Movement V has already been. EVENTION! has been suspected, while in the ruling coalition, there are deputies who would disagree with that demarcation. We are able to stop without needing such scenes.

You have questioned the integrity and legitimacy of the Haradinaj government, recently even in the contest of Serbian Minister Nenad Ricalo, why do you think Haradinaj is inadequate for prime minister?

Minister Rikalo has been accused by his former neighbours of first and long-time abuse and violation of war. Such a person is unacceptable, not just for Movement V DEPENSE! but also for all Kosovo Albanians. We do not object to it because it is Serb, as there are many Kosovo Serbs, probably most of them, who are not involved in crimes and mistreatment against Albanians. But we are countering the person, the individual Rikalo, for whom many Kosovo citizens have collected evidence that they improvise in such cases. There are twenty witnesses on the alert!

Prime Minister Haradinaj should not hide from responsibility, saying he has asked the Kosovo Agency for Intelligence, the Police or the Prosecutor of Kosovo. In the face of the evidence gathered by his country's citizens, he must dismiss Minister Ricalo in order to launch independent investigations. However, it seems Haradinaj cannot fail the Serbian List, which guaranteed him governance.

You are the most voted politician in Kosovo, for several months straight after the elections everyone expected you to form the government, what happened? What went wrong with Isa Mustaf of Behgjet Pacolli?

We have been open, even interested in co-operation, and have been constantly contacted by other parties, the AKR's LDK. But by Mr. Mustafa has not had much interest. From mid-July until September, he has not contacted us at all. The lack of interest from Mr. Mustafa contributed to Mr. Pacolli, who later joined Haradinaj's rule.

Mr. Mustafa has not shown the seriousness needed to send PDK in opposition, and this is the second time. The first time it was in 2014, when it didn't resist pressure and went into the coalition with the PDK, the second time is now, when it was averted, and unable to defeat the coalition between Movement V. And LDK.

However, Movement V IT IS growing, and it will continue to grow. We are currently the first parliamentary subject in Kosovo, and will soon meet several major municipalities throughout Kosovo. There is no question here that Albin Kurti is the most voted deputy, but the question is that some municipalities will be able to go without a run-off and over ten of the total after the runoff.

You are declared the force of the centre-left, how do you plan to build the coalition in the next elections?

We are the only left-wing parliamentary force in Kosovo, so we are obliged to make coalitions with forces coming from the right centre. Our principle is that politicians involved in crimes against the nation, against the state and against the individual should not be in government, so we are against co-operation with the PDK.

We have been and are open to co-operation with other parties, but not on the basis of the division of positions, but on the basis of programme agreement, on government duties and steps.

We believe that even in other opposition parties, especially in The LDK, a new group of politicians must take responsibility, who will be a little more active and more insistent about removing the PDK from power.

You talked about the German model of union these days, recalling the cause of the unification of Albanians. Gensher in 1989 corrected international journalists by stating that it was not Germany's “reunification” but for “German reunification”. Do we have an architect in Albania, a Willy Brand or a Helmus Cole?

There are two attitudes on this issue. Britain, France, Italy, and Poland, which opposed the unification of Germany for personal reasons, called <x0 subunification”, as they were interested in this to sound like a repeat of history.

As for the Germans, even in the case of Gensher you mention, but in many other cases, to this day, they call it “reunification”. Since it is the first time these two countries are united, it is also because there is no history that will be repeated. Germany was democratically joined, with a perspective of progress, human values, but also Europeanism. We can see that today. The German Union brought prosperity and development to the Germans but also a strong pillar for the European project.

Do we have a Willy Brand or a Helmut Cole, I don't know that, as I think the case of Albania and Kosovo has big differences with the case of Germany. In fact, the only similarity is that we are dealing with nations that want to unite. But Albania and Kosovo have major priorities because in their history they don't have a moment to blame them, as Germany had the moment of World War II. We as Albanians do not need to have complex. Our union does not endanger any neighbors, and we do not have in our history “jolla”. Our union should be democratic, progressive, focused on the economic and institutional development of Albanians, on correct relations with neighbours, and Europeans.

Today it has been 17 years since Milosevic's fall in Serbia? What can be said about the changes there today?

Miloshevich fell, but not his regime. Consequently, his political and ideological legacy resembles. Since circumstances have changed, so have the tools and ways but not the motives and intentions, promises, and goals. Perhaps the murder of former Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic on March 12th 2003, overwhelmed the democratising and progressive potential in Serbia. Today, Serbia's largest friendship group is that of Serbia-Russia parliamentary friendship with 131 deputies out of a total of 250, how much is the Assembly there! Not only does Serbia not recognise Kosovo's independence and maintain its parallel structures in the quarter of Kosovo territory left there by Milosevic in 1999, but it feels no regret for crimes from the past. To be even worse, with judicial processes in Serbia, the stone of chief journalist Drzeja Mihajlovovic has been rehabilitated, and now it is being done with the prime minister of the pro-Nazi government during World War II, Milan Nediq.

Finally, but not in importance, what result do you expect for Vetevendosje in the October 22nd local elections? 

Our candidates are very good, even better. I'm not personally involved in election headquarters, I go to activities where I'm invited, but I can see that there's great enthusiasm. Polls tell us that our organisation will feature more than half the municipalities in Kosovo. After the June 11th elections became the largest party in the country, the first subject in the country, following the October 22nd elections, the November 19th runoff, respectively, in our local government, will have much more municipalities than any other party. Our June 11th victory will deepen and expand.