Merro Base to Periscope: Historic chance of removing Albania border is burning -Kosovo

Ohrid Summit, or named mini “The Balkan Schengen”, has collected political trends -- Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama -- his Macedonian counterpart Zoran Zaev and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq -- over the weekend.

Leaders of the Western Balkans in Ohrid, North Macedonia have discussed initiatives to establish more intensive economic co-operation through the free movement of people and goods.

Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama have adopted a declaration with a list of priorities and measures aimed at improving regional co-operation.

But part of this summit was not Kosovo. The country's President Hashim Thaci, confirming no participation in this summit, has said this decision comes because of what he has said bypassing Kosovo at the first meeting held in Novi Sad at the initiative of Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq. Thaci has said he cannot be part of such regional meetings as long as Serbia and Bosnia do not recognise Kosovo.

And Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has not welcomed this decision by the Kosovar side, saying Kosovo has been self-disfellowshipped from this summit. Rama has stressed that Kosovo in the past five years has participated in different regional and international initiatives, along with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, even though these have not recognised Kosovo.

The Ohrid summit has caused widespread noise by political party leaders in Kosovo, analysts and other politicians. Mostly the mini-Sengen initiative has been met with negative tones in Kosovo.

But, otherwise, Albanian journalist Mero Base thinks.

In a conversation with Periscope, Base says Kosovo's non-participation could burn the chance to remove the border between Kosovo and Albania. According to him, mini shengen is being rejected by false patriots who fear the removal of this border.

Ohrid's “Samm has gathered, not to disturb Kosovo, but to the four principles I mentioned. Kosovo's participation does not upset Albania, as it burns the chance to become the removal of the Albania-Kosovo border. It means all the patriotic demagogues that 70 per cent of the business in Kosovo have with Serbia are simply grieving that they might cross the border with Albania. That's how much Kosovo and Albania lose from Kosovo's absence in this Sam. But this was an open process and could change his mind on the road. The important thing is to create a real climate about the goals of four fundamental principles and not listen to Yugoslavianologists telling us that Yugoslavia is coming back. Albania has never been to Yugoslavia and there is nothing that it can revive. If a nostalption remembers Titus, let me hold my tears. This is an effort to get European support for Balkan problems and, specifically, ours and not a Yugoslav experience for Europe”, says Base.

Citing the positive aspects of the Balkan Schengen, publicist Base says it is an effort to solve local problems and that it should not be seen as a political process linked to the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia.

The Balkan Schengen “is an attempt by each Balkan country to use Western support to resolve local problems. The idea is to use four basic principles of European freedom to solve problems between themselves. It means by relying on the principle of free movement the principle of free circulation of goods, the principle of capital circulation and the principle of freedom of labour force the six Balkan countries agree to apply these to each other. You remember I believe Rama's patriotic performance with Haradinaj's Thaci Mustaf for removing the Albanian border Kosovo. Each time it was said never after the EU and US lit the red light because of Serbia's protest. In this context it can be done. It is also easier for Serbia to negotiate in this context and accept these four principles and for Kosovo. It is a process that must be shared by the political shell of Serbia's accession talks. Of course not all six countries are able to apply all four principles. The word comes Bosnia is not ready to accept free movement with Serbia. But that shouldn't bother you all. It must go up to the wall for any basic west-backed freedom. Then we break down the walls, not the ghosts that look like walls”, points out Base.

Asked whether Edi Rama's proximity to President Aleksandar Vuciq has intensified at a wrong time, when reports between Kosovo and Serbia are at the lowest point in reaching an agreement, Base says it is not of that opinion. According to him, each prime minister of Albania is tasked with constantly seeking from Serbia to recognise Kosovo, which has happened according to Montenegro. According to him, the Albanian prime minister cannot be seen either as a father or as a Kosovo stepmother, but specifically as its guardian.

“Vucciq and Rama have become together under the Berlin initiative since 2014. Kosovo relations have never been good even when Rama went to Belgrade even when she is looking at every meeting with Vuciq for the recognition of Kosovo. Albania should not be seen as a country that has pantlanism on Kosovo, but as a country supporting Kosovo's aspirations. E DI RAMA and any other prime minister are tasked with seeking recognition of Kosovo from Serbia. They should never separate this from their agenda. And I guess they did. The others are demagogue folklores who love Albania's prime minister at times as Nation Father once prime minister of a neighbouring country. In fact, the institution of Albania's prime minister is obliged to be Kosovo's guardian. Neither her father nor her stepmother. Then whether you laugh or cry when you meet Vucinqi and what jokes show are debates of people who may dream of being Rama's place on that table, but that's not Vuciqi but Albanians”, Base said at the end.

We remember that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced that the Western Balkan Radha Summit will be held in Durres on 21 December. He said all Western Balkan countries, including Kosovo, should be part of it./Periscopi/