A new Prime Minister described as ‘boring’ like Sir Keir Starmer could replace the current leader of Kosovo who has angered the UK and US by dangerously stoking tensions with Serbia.
Early predictions are incumbent PM Albin Kurti could fall short of more than 50% of the vote needed for a parliamentary majority.
Mr Kurti has worried Western governments during his term in office by enforcing sweeping measures on Kosovo’s Serbian minority. In 2023, 30 NATO peacekeepers and 52 Serbs were injured during protests over his policies.
Kosovo is home to around 92% ethnic Albanians, and a much smaller Serbian population.
The tiny nation of 1.5 million people was formed in the wake of the brutal 1999 war with neighbouring Serbia that saw thousands of civilians murdered in ethnic violence.
Scores of expat Kosovars voted in London at the embassy this weekend in an election race which has drawn the attention of US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Richard Grenell, the former US envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, posted on X ahead of Sunday’s elections that “both Republicans and Democrats have criticised Kurti consistently for taking unilateral actions that destabilise the region. So has the EU and NATO. The international community is united against Kurti.”
Speaking to the Daily Express, Kosovo’s former Foreign Minister Petrit Selimi, said two-time former finance minister Bedri Hamza, who he thought was in the mould of Sir Keir Starmer, could replace Mr Kurti as leader if the election results did not go the current Prime Minister’s way.
“He’s maybe a little bit boring, but definitely very knowledgeable. His campaign was focused on finance and the economy and jobs and economic growth,” he said.
“About 30% of Kosovars live abroad and it’s expected between 15% to 20% votes will actually come from the diaspora. This weekend they voted in the embassy in London for example.
“We had two types of campaigning, one focusing on issues with Serbia and very polarising by Mr Kurti, and other more down to earth focusing on the economy and repairing relations with the West, by Mr Bedri.”
