Panelists: Problems in Serbian-Albanian Relations Political in Nature, Not A Conflict of Two Peoples

PHOTO: BETA/MEDIJA CENTAR BEOGRAD

The participants of a panel discussion about the perception of Serbia in Albania concluded on July 12 that problems in the two countries’ relations were political and ideological in nature, and that there was no conflict between the two peoples.

An expert of the Albania Institute for International Studies (AIIS), Ledion Krisafi, presented the results of a public opinion poll about the perception of Serbia and the Serbs in Albania, which show positive views. “The personalization of politics in both countries, its focusing on presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Edi Rama, is the biggest problem and that is visible through the escalation of conflicts in the north of Kosovo,” Krisafi stated.

He added that the position of the Open Balkan initiative was political and not economic, which could have implications further down the road, and which is why it is currently not sufficiently inclusive. “In Albania, the Serbs will always be viewed in the context of events in Kosovo. For as long as there is no agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, Serbs will be the enemy in the eyes of Albanians, because there is no closure for what they learn in the history books,” Krisafi said. 

Nenad Djurdjevic of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce stated that public opinion in Albania and Serbia could be shaped in a very good way and that the signing of relevant agreements could lead to the citizens of Serbia traveling more to Albania. “However, the Open Balkan initiative with only three members cannot last. It is also personalized so that it represents the policies of the leaders and cannot be what the region needs,” Djurdjevic stated.