 |
| Speaking out: Ethnic Albanian activist Albin Kurti is under house arrest in his home in Kosovo. One charge against him is
'disrespect' of UN institutions. Robert Marquand |
In Kosovo, a critic who just won't quit
House arrest hasn't stopped Albin Kurti from railing against foreign diplomats who are expected Monday to announce their failure to broker an independence deal.
By Robert Marquand | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitorfrom the December 10, 2007 edition
Page 1 of 2
Pristina, Kosovo - In this small Balkan capital, Albin Kurti is just a bit too irrepressible, flamboyant, and critical – and the powers that be in Kosovo aren't quite sure what to do with him.
Mr. Kurti last week staged a creative guerrilla theater outside the UN compound here – harshly criticizing diplomats from the European Union, US, and Russia – on the eve of Monday's deadline for talks on Kosovo independence.
In fact, Kurti, a former student leader who has spent time in the prisons of Slobodan Milosevic's Serbia – is about the only voice of opposition here. In the midst of much diplomacy, including 120 days of talks that officially end Monday, and an upcoming UN session on Dec. 19 – Kurti deeply doubts the resolve of Europe to settle the dense complexities of Kosovo.
As something of an enfant terrible, an intellectual bad boy, and one of the most eloquent speakers in the province, Kurti has become a kind of secret folk hero among ethnic Albanians here, a safety valve for frustrations over uncertainty about their future.
In Kosovo, most public figures work hard to be patient, malleable, and understanding – waiting politely as foreign diplomats try to find a solution after eight years of talks.
Not Kurti. He'd rather Kosovo declare independence Monday without the consent of Serbia and Russia, despite what observers say is a serious risk of violence. He'd also just as soon see the UN leave, and says so openly.
For Kosovar leaders, he is a troublemaker, an embarrassment. Kurti orchestrated the painting of "Ahtisaari" – the name of the UN plan for independence – on the garbage cans of Pristina. During last month's national elections, he called on Kosovars to "stay home and rest, just on Nov. 17."
But while most Kosovars disagree with Kurti's prescriptions, like kicking the UN out, or his call for "non-negotiations" – he's admired for speaking bluntly about UN corruption, mendacity, and what he calls "the colonial attitude" of foreign missions.
"The UN and its partners are not defending our interests," he says. "We've relied too long on [the UN], which has become a colonial power here, and we are nearly sold down the river."
Experts here say that a strong and sustained determination by the EU and the US to back and follow through on a declaration of independence by Kosovo by implementing the Ahtisaari plan – is likely to take some of the wind out of Kurti's sails by proving the international community can be effective.
A new International Crisis Group Report on Kosovo issued Dec. 6 argues strongly for an immediate transition to "conditional independence" in Kosovo, warning that "the situation on the ground risks overtaking capitals."
RSS feed
