Should Kosovo’s Ruling Party Play Opposition Politics in Albania?

Vetevendosje MPs have also joined protests in Lezha in Albania against the construction of hydropower plants.

Kurti and his colleague's visit to Albania came three weeks after his government came to power, and before he has even laid out his domestic programme for governing.

Their visit also happened at a critical time when their own country was facing a rise in coronavirus infections and the lowest rate of vaccination against COVID-19 in the Balkans.

So far, via the COVAX programme, Kosovo has managed to secure just 24,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, which will only be enough for healthcare staff, some elderly citizens and people with chronic diseases.

Vials of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/Leszek Szymanski POLAND OUT

Albania has helped Kosovo by vaccinating more than 500 of its medical staff and the government in Tirana has expressed readiness to vaccinate Kosovo's teachers. However, Kurti's administration refused the offer as Albania only offered Chinese vaccines.

As well as being a refusal of much-needed vaccines, this was seen as a rejection of Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, amid Vetevendosje's support for election candidates who oppose Rama's ruling Socialist Party.

Albania's vaccination campaign has been successful so far, with more than 257,000 citizens jabbed, or nine per cent of the population. On the other hand, Kosovo has vaccinated fewer than 10,000 of its citizens and apart from the COVAX supply, has not managed to purchase a single dose.

While finding time to get involved in the election issues of another country, Kosovo's prime minister has not made public any plan or long-term strategy for coping with the pandemics or securing more vaccines.