Die Linke politician Sevim Dagdelen asked the German government why it continues to enable the "scandalous" Saudi mission to proselytize Wahhabism in Kosovo, under the nose of the NATO-led Kosovo Force.
Saudi Wahhabi Missionaries and Arab Donors 'Active in Kosovo,' Germany Admits
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201705191053790018-germany-saudi-arabia-kosovo-wahhabism/
Saudi Arabia is sending Wahhabi preachers to Kosovo in a bid to further radicalize the local population, the German government said on Wednesday.
Answering a parliamentary question tabled by Sevim Dagdelen, a representative of Die Linke in the German Bundestag, the German government acknowledged the increasing influence of Wahhabism in Kosovo.
"Saudi Arabian missionary organizations are also active in Kosovo and are spreading the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, which Saudi Arabia represents, for example by sending preachers," the government responded, Die Welt reported.
In addition, Germany said that "the continuous involvement of Arab donors — individuals, non-governmental organizations as well as state and semi-governmental institutions is detectable in the Islamic community of Kosovo."
Sevim Dagdelen, a representative of Die Linke in the German Bundestag who tabled the parliamentary question, called the increasing Islamic radicalization of Kosovo "scandalous," particularly given that it has taken place under the auspices of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR).
The 45,000 strong KFOR entered Kosovo in June 1999, following NATO's 78-day campaign of airstrikes against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which forced Belgrade to withdraw all its army and police units from Kosovo.
As of February 2017, KFOR had 4,273 troops in Kosovo, after handing over many responsibilities to the Kosovo Police and other local authorities. Kosovo made a unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008.
"Right under the nose of KFOR, Kosovo has developed into an Islamic terror center in the region. It is scandalous that, thanks to the presence of German soldiers, Saudi preachers of violence and hatred have freely been able to create the ideological basis for this," Dagdelen said.
The politician called on the government to acknowledge the large numbers of Islamic terrorists who come from Kosovo. According to an analysis by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research, Kosovo is ranked fifth per capita for ISIS [Daesh] foreign fighters. It contributes the most ISIS fighters per capita of any European country, followed by Bosnia and Macedonia.
Dagdelen urged the federal government is "not to keep sugarcoating the situation in Kosovo and keeping the public in the dark about concrete recruitment figures for Islamic terrorist networks like IS [Daesh] and other organizations in the KFOR area."
In its response, the German government also touched on the increasing influence of Turkey in the Balkan region.
Since the accession of the AKP [Justice and Development Party] government in 2002, and especially during former Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's term of office, a strategic reorientation of Turkish foreign policy has taken place. In the course of this reorientation, political focus was placed on areas that were formerly part of the Ottoman Empire," Berlin wrote.
Dagdelen, whose Kurdish parents immigrated to Germany from Turkey, said that the German government should challenge Turkish influence in the Balkans and particularly in Kosovo.
Under the auspices of KFOR, Erdogan has been given "a free hand for his neo-Ottoman imperial policies," Dagdelen said.
At the same time, he is using the opportunity to influence Kosovo for political cleansing. This is an additional reason why the federal government must finally radically change its Turkish policy and take a clear position against Erdogan."
Kosovo is set to hold snap parliamentary elections on June 11. The favorite to become Prime Minister is former field commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, former prime minister and the current leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo political party Ramush Haradinaj.
Haradinaj recently caused outrage in Serbia when he called for more Serbian territory to be annexed in favor of Kosovo.
Serbia should "delete Kosovo from the Constitution" or see "one-third of Serb land added to the Kosovo map," Haradinaj said.
The county's opposition has been boycotting the parliament for three months in a bid to stall judiciary reforms necessary to start the EU accession talks. Albania gained the status of a candidate for receiving the EU membership in 2014.
Kosovo – Creation of the West That 'Will Now Form the Kosovan Parliament'
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201705191053776676-kosovo-parliamentary-elections/
On June 11, the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo is going to hold snap parliamentary elections. The widely seen candidate to take the post of the Prime Minister is the former field commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, the former prime minister and the current leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo political party Ramush Haradinaj. His candidacy was supported by President Hashim Thaçi's Democratic Party of Kosovo.
Sputnik Serbia discussed the issue with Kosovan political scientist Nexhmedin Spahiu, who explained that it will be the west who will decide what coalitions will emerge in the newly elected parliament.
"The west plays the key role in forming of the new government, as it was with the former cabinet, which was a joint product of Germany and the US. Nothing could have been done without them. It depends, first of all, on the western embassies [deciding] which coalition will come to power. They will break and unite parties at their own will," he told Sputnik.
He further noted that the radical movement Vetëvendosje (Albanian for self-determination) might also play a role in forming coalitions. And the Serbs will certainly be included into the new government regardless of who takes the post of prime minister as the quota for the Serbian minority in the parliament and the government is set forth in the constitution of Kosovo.
The political scientist also noted that Ramush Haradinaj is on very bad terms with the country's President Hashim Thaçi.
These two can't stand each other, but it does not matter as it is up to the western embassies to decide whom to reconcile. And the fact that Thaçi's Democratic Party of Kosovo supported the candidacy of Ramush Haradinaj only proves this," Spahiu told Sputnik.
The political scientist also recalled that the US and other western countries have repeatedly warned Albanian leaders to closely inspect their electoral lists. The warning came with regards to the special court set up in The Hague which will try serious crimes allegedly committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against ethnic minorities and political opponents during the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo.
It is assumed that upon the results of the court, the parties, whose leaders have certain war records, might lose some of their members.
"We'll learn it when the court starts its work. It will also depend on the western embassies who will decide whom it is easier to send to The Hague, those in power or those in the opposition," Spahiu said.
Spahiu also speculated what the policies of the next Prime Minister might be, if Ramush Haradinaj takes the post. He will likely to go on with the negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia on the normalization of relations between the two countries even though he previously voiced his reluctance to do so. The negotiations, the political scientist said, have been initiated by the West and Haradinaj won't dare to stand in their way.
Nexhmedin Spahiu also commented on the much talked about "Greater Albania" project.
"To be honest, Albanian society is not interested in this "Greater Albania" project. There are less and less interested in it in Kosovo. Montenegro also shows no interest in it, and if it was a serious project, Montenegro would be the first to be targeted," he told Sputnik.
He further noted that Jonuz Musliu, an ethnic Albanian politician and mayor of the Bujanovac municipality in the southern part of central Serbia, who advocates the idea of the unification of Albania and Kosovo with the annexation of the territories of southern Serbia, the so-called Presevo valley, seems to be the only supporter of the initiative.
Kosovo is the creation of the West. Without the operation of the West and NATO it would have never existed and would have never declared independence [from Serbia]. What is being said by the Albanian politicians is their way to blackmail the West: if you do not support our authority, we will destroy your project, the independent Kosovo. It is true, even though it sounds like lunacy," he told Sputnik.
He also commented on the recent remarks of former head of the OSCE verification mission in Kosovo William Walker who said that he "has a project to unite Albanians."
Earlier in May, the American spoke during a ceremony in Pristina to mark the 17th anniversary of the founding of Ramush Haradinaj's party, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.
"This project that I'm working on is meant for all Albanians in Kosovo in the diaspora, in Albania. I'm working on a joint project for their unification. Albanians worldwide were united in the 1990s with the sole purpose of the liberation of Kosovo. I was with them when they declared independence. Albanians have won and they came here to celebrate together. Now is the time for the final step, for all of us to be together, to accomplish this achievement," the local media quoted Walker as saying then.
William Walker is a retired person who wants to attract attention to himself again. He once played a role for Kosovo but he is definitely not our ideologist," Spahiu told Sputnik.
The political scientist further commented on the future of Kosovo, saying that it by no means will be independent and sovereign.
"In the present-day world, when all the countries are interconnected with each other, there is no truly sovereign state. Even the US, the strongest country in the world, is not sovereign. What can we say about small countries when the greatest states can't be called independent any longer," he said.
At the end of his interview, Nexhmedin Spahiu speculated whether Kosovo could raise its own army, suggesting that it will depend on NATO. If the Alliance demands one, Kosovo will get the one, he stated.
Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Johannes Hahn, EU Commissioner on European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, welcomed in a statement on Friday the agreement between the Albanian ruling and opposition parties to hold a general election.
EU Officials Welcome Albania's Political Forces Deal on Holding Elections
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201705191053780418-eu-albania-elections/
Media reported Thursday that following a three-month standoff, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Lulzim Basha unveiled a package of measures that stipulates the participation of all the country's political parties in the next general elections, which have been postponed to June 25.
We congratulate the political parties in Albania for the agreement reached, which will lead to the holding of elections on the 25 June 2017 with the participation of all parties. The political leaders have responded to their citizens' expectations and showed democratic maturity," the statement read.
The document characterized the agreement as a "crucial first step" and called for the deal's swift implementation so that the national election could be organized in compliance with international standards.
"As the vote of Parliament for the establishment of the vetting bodies is part of the agreement, we reiterate the importance of a solid and credible implementation of the vetting process, which is key for progress towards EU membership. We will continue supporting Albania and the legitimate aspirations of its people for a better future," the statement concluded.
According to media reports, Albania's opposing political forces also struck a deal on Thursday regarding representation of opposition ministers in the cabinet and key institutions.
The county's opposition has been boycotting the parliament for three months in a bid to stall judiciary reforms necessary to start the EU accession talks. Albania gained the status of a candidate for receiving the EU membership in 2014.
