Blumi: The Albania Question Looms Over the Balkans Again
Tags: albania, balkans, papers
Argues that Brussels and Washington have supported elites that are despised and fail to achieve better qualities of life for their constituancies
The consequences will likely prove destabiliz-ing, both locally and beyond. Opposition to an entrenched political elite may take a more violent turn if citizens realize that yet again, voting in elections will not result in real change. That would further expose the clear divergence of strategic in-terests that has arisen among NATO partners dur-ing the Trump era. Without the prospect of nego-tiations for EU membership, Brussels risks losing influence in Albania, Kosovo, and North Mace-donia. That would give Turkey and Russia greater leverage, as outside powers once again jockey to shape the region’s politics.