Shaip Kamberi, the only Albanian representative in the Parliament of Serbia from the Preševo Valley, has raised his voice against Belgrade’s financial policy, which, according to him, is characterized by a lack of transparency and the unequal treatment of the two communities.
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Through a statement published by the Albanian Coalition, Kamberi demands clarification of the fate of the Serbian state funds and the release of the funds that Kosovo has allocated for projects benefiting the Albanians living in the Valley.
The basis of his criticism is a statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, delivered on September 13, 2022, before the Parliament of Serbia, in which it was said that the state allocates between 700 and 820 million euros every year for Kosovo alone.
According to Kamberi, although the figures are large, it remains unknown where these funds are spent and who is accountable to the public for them.
“In the Parliament of Serbia, A. Vučić had declared that Serbia allocates ‘every year 700-820 million’ euros for Kosovo without emphasizing to whom this money is paid and who controls it. It was admitted that the exact amount was not known and that not all the funds passed through the so-called ‘Office for Kosovo’,” he wrote in his reaction.
The deputy notes that even with the possible calculations – around 100 to 180 million euros passing through the Office for Kosovo and approximately 100 million euros distributed through other ministries – a large gap remains unexplained.
“If the estimates of 100-180 million euros for the Office for Kosovo and around 100 million through other ministries are accurate, where do the remaining hundreds of millions end up? Who benefits from them and who is held accountable?” asks Kamberi.
His criticism also includes the reverse situation: Serbia, according to the deputy, is obstructing the funds allocated by Kosovo for the Albanian community in the Valley.
He specifically mentions 129 projects and four programs, among them the distribution of free books for pupils, professional internships for young people, the financing of the activities of the Albanian National Council, and advocacy activities.
Kamberi underlines that this contradiction highlights a double standard: when it comes to the Serbs of Kosovo, only trust without accountability is required, while for the Albanians obstacles and blockades are applied.
“The difference is clear: for hundreds of millions of euros, trust is required, without full public transparency. For the books of Albanian children and concrete projects for the Albanian community, a blockade is imposed,” he said.
At the end of his reaction, Kamberi demands that every euro of public money be treated with transparency and that the obstacles to the funds for the Valley be removed immediately.
“The rights of minorities cannot depend on the political interests of those in power. The accounts must be made public. The funds must be unblocked. Equality must be enforced,” he concludes.
