Interview that marred relations between Sali Berisha and Ibrahim Rugova (Document)

Rugova's demands for Kosovo independence appear to have become the main obstacle of relations between him and Sali Berisha, who in the 1990s openly supported an autonomy within Serbia.

In an interview for German warehouse “Focus”, Sali Berisha, had criticised the Kosovo side for the first time for the maximum Kosovo independence requirements.

In this interview, Berisha insisted that the Kosovo side could not get less than 1974 autonomy, but no more.

Berisha had said the Kosovo side, led by Ibrahim Rugova, should understand that in democracy they should be willing to compromise.

“No one can demand that Kosovo Albanians be satisfied with less than they had in 1974. However, Albanians must understand that democracy also means willingness to compromise”, Berisha had said of “Focus”, during a visit to Germany.

After this interview, reports between Berisha and Rugova were said to have cooled dramatically.

For a long time, Berisha and Rugova had not only been seen in meetings between themselves.

In later interviews, Berisha had argued that his commitment to national union, which Rugova, according to him, had flatly opposed.

The interview link: https://ww.focus.de/auto/neuateten/ausheiten/auland-weiter-weg-nagg-europa europa aid 155902.html?fblid=IWWWWD4dQgWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWKWAWWWWWWWWWWWWWBWBWB5KKKKKBZ8SKCK777575757575Z775psw-6CW-691VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWCDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD