IN THIS EPISODE
In this episode of #BalkansDebrief, Ilva Tare, Resident Senior Fellow at the Europe Center, speaks with Yll Sadiku, a Kosovo scholar at Harvard Law School, to unpack the political messages of Albin Kurti’s fourth consecutive electoral victory and what it could mean for Kosovo’s international standing.
How did Vetëvendosje’s performance break months of political deadlock in Kosovo? Why was this such an unexpected result? How will it affect Kosovo’s institutional dynamics, from the presidency and parliament to potential political crises?
Other questions to unpack after the election results include:
- Washington’s position on normalization and the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities: Strategic partner or pressure point?
- Brussels’ expectations: EU funds, reforms, and enlargement leverage?
- Washington’s position on normalization and the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities: Strategic partner or pressure point?
Ilva Tare and Yll Sadiku assess whether this outcome marks a turning point for Kosovo’s foreign policy and whether Kurti’s mandate strengthens Pristina’s hand or tests it in talks with Serbia, the EU, and the United States, and whether Kosovo’s Western partners should engage differently with Kurti’s third government compared to the previous two.
ABOUT #BALKANSDEBRIEF
#BalkansDebrief is an online interview series presented by the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center and hosted by journalist Ilva Tare. The program offers a fresh look at the Western Balkans and examines the region’s people, culture, challenges, and opportunities.
Watch #BalkansDebrief on YouTube and listen to it as a Podcast.
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The Europe Center promotes leadership, strategies, and analysis to ensure a strong, ambitious, and forward-looking transatlantic relationship.
