Ilir Kulla: Serbia's double game is holding the region's European future hostage

Albanian security expert Ilir Kulla says his country is not at risk from Russian influence. In an interview with The Geopost, he justifies this by the fact that Albania has no cultural ties with Russia, while Albanians have a completely different ethno-cultural background from Russians.

"I can tell you that Albania is the most impossible place for Russians to feel at home. We don't have xenophobia, just incompatibility," says Kulla. Russians, according to him, are a great people and country, with a long history and a country the size of two continents, but he adds that they are "very far from our culture and traditions."

Kulla calls the "Open Balkan" initiative useless, and the last meeting in Tirana a "pleasant feeling on Christmas Eve."

Kulla believes that the West is wrong to leave other Western Balkan countries waiting because of Serbia's double game.

"The point is that Europe has almost completely stopped expanding in the Balkans and the Balkan countries have been left without prospects. There is a kind of desire on the part of the West not to lose Serbia to Russia, but in the meantime it has taken hostage the European future of other countries. An example is Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo with visas," says Kulla in an interview given to The Geopost.

The Geopost: Do you think foreign influence in the region is increasing, especially Russian influence?

Tower: Russian influence and foreign influences in the Balkans are something historical. The Balkans have always been a land between empires. As a result, influences have been inevitable. From the Roman Empire, to Genghis Khan, to the Ottoman Empire…they are part of our common history.

The Geopost: Russia uses various media outlets in the countries of the region, especially in Serbia, Montenegro and some Serbian media outlets in Kosovo, to spread their propaganda, mainly with fake news and disinformation. What is the situation in Albania in this regard? Are there such media outlets?

Tower: There is information, there is disinformation, just as there is propaganda. This is normal. It is important to maintain professionalism, but this is not always possible. Therefore, patience and calm are needed. We live in pluralism, not in a dictatorship.

The Geopost: In October of this year, four Russians lost their lives in Albania, while vacationing at a hotel in Qerret. Their deaths are still mysterious, while the media have recently reported that the competent authorities are continuing their investigations. What can you tell us about this case?

Tower: I can tell you that Qerret i Kavajës is a beautiful place on the coast, a village inhabited by Kosovo Albanians since 1930. As such, there are vacationers every year for many months from all countries, including Russia. The case will be clarified, there is an official investigation and the deceased will have their legal truth. We will leave the rest to time. It is worth consoling their relatives and telling them that Albania is a country that welcomes all guests, despite the disaster in question.

The Geopost: It seems that this summer there has been an increase in requests from Russians to buy properties in Albania. Why do you think this is happening?

Tower: Let's hope that there are really tourists and foreigners, including Russians and Serbians who want to buy apartments and real estate, because this develops the economy. But I have my doubts that this is happening, I believe that we are facing an exaggeration of the problem. After all, we in Albania have big problems with overlapping properties and ownership titles. It will not be so easy to solve this for foreigners either. If they buy apartments or villas, they stay in Albania, they do not transfer to Russia. I can tell you that Albania is the most impossible place for Russians to feel at home. We do not have xenophobia, simply incompatibility. Russians are a great people and country, with a long history and a country as big as 2 continents, but very far from our culture and traditions.

The Geopost: There are warnings that a Russian invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of regions inhabited by Russians would also trigger war in the Balkans. Drawing a parallel with Dodik's warnings about the withdrawal of Republika Srpska from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the one hand, and the rapid rearmament of Serbia, on the other, do you think such a scenario is possible?

Tower: I think we should divide the Russian problem in Ukraine with the problem of the Balkans. Let me explain: in Ukraine, about 30% of the population is Russian and they are neighboring countries. They have had these problems with the collapse of the Soviet Union and will have them for many, many more years. They are complicated economic, political and energy problems. I think the parties should return to the Minsk agreement and Russia's will to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus should be stopped, just as Ukraine should be content with a possible membership in the EU. NATO expansion to Ukraine does not seem possible and realistic to me, at least not since the Riga summit when the Baltic countries joined. Whereas in the Balkans the matter is different. We do not have a Russian population in the Balkans and those Slavic populations that are there do not have any particular love or interest in leaving Russia and Asia. They want to go to Europe. The point is that Europe has almost completely stopped expanding in the Balkans and the Balkan countries have been left without prospects. There is a kind of desire of the West not to lose Serbia to Russia, but in the meantime it has taken hostage the European future of other countries. An example is Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo with visas. Therefore, blocking the enlargement process in the Balkans endangers all other countries, which in the conditions of the prolonged economic crisis will look elsewhere. We should not look for the blame for this in Moscow or Ankara, but in Brussels and Washington, where the desire not to lose Serbia has blinded decision-makers to the future of other peoples. If the EU had admitted Bosnia and Herzegovina, perhaps today we would not have a Dodik who sees a different future, or in Montenegro we would have a different reality.

The Geopost: Russia has a small economic presence in the region compared to the EU. How does it manage to have so much influence? How do you explain this asymmetry?

Tower: Russian economic influence is qualitative, not quantitative. They are the main producers of grain and energy. As a result, their influence is significant, but in the meantime, investments from the EU and the West are non-existent. What can we say to builders in Albania, do not sell buildings to the Russians? Or to tourist operators, do not take tourists from the East and Russia, or from Serbia? It is illogical. The failure of the Berlin Process and the entry into the dead end of the “Open Balkans” makes the Western Balkans hopeless and economic development is the main key to this. Our governments cannot stop the emigration of young people, corruption and the bureaucracy of Brussels offers zero perspective. The situation is complex and let's not forget the influence of religious belief, which is transnational.

The Geopost: In some countries in the region, there are politicians and political forces that enjoy open support from Russia. Are there any such in Albania?

Tower: I will answer this question with a joke that has been circulating in Albania for years. At the time of the break with China, Enver Hoxha sent the leaders of the Party of Labor to explain the reasons for the break with China. When the leader went to the base, the people welcomed him with joy, saying: tell the party that we had a problem loving China, but if we don't love it, it's easy. This joke applies to the answer to the question - are there any pro-Russian politicians in Albania? There are none because Russia has no influence at all on our culture and mentality. But this should not cause the EU to fall behind Serbia's wishes, which is not known whether it will go East or West.

The Geopost: What about the meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of the elections in Serbia, how did you see it?

Tower: It is right for Vučić and Putin to meet before and after the elections. The problem is that this double game by Serbia is holding the European future of the region hostage.

The Geopost: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Macedonian President Zoran Zaev were in Tirana for the next meeting within the framework of the regional initiative "Open Balkans". What is your opinion on this initiative in general and the meeting in Tirana in particular?

Tower: The meeting in Tirana seemed like a nice Christmas party, especially the fish in Elbasan. For others, “Open Balkan” is a useless and worthless project. In the absence of EU enlargement, it is an attempt of the principle “move something so that things do not remain in place”. In fact, they are going backwards, as is every project or desire of Serbia to create an economic zone that resembles Yugoslavia, as an extension or as an influence. However, let's see if they will be able to implement any of the things they write. So far we have seen declarations, lunches and dinners and a little tourism.