Prishtina, 27 October 2026
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, hosted a reception for representatives of the Albanian community from Presheva, Medvegja, Bujanoc and Novi Pazar, following the elections in Serbia, in which the Albanian parties, united under the “Albanian Coalition” list, won two seats in the National Assembly.
Congratulating them on the result achieved, Prime Minister Kurti told them that their victory was doubly historic, because they had set a new record compared with 2020, and also because they were part of a major change.
“Of the 18 lists that contested Serbia’s parliamentary elections, only six secured seats, which means that 12 did not; only one third of the lists won seats. Of the nine national minority lists, only four, less than half, secured seats. Albanians are the fourth-largest minority by population in Serbia, but ranked second in terms of votes and joint first with the Hungarians in terms of seats among the national minority lists. Among the parliamentary lists, they ranked fourth in terms of votes and third in terms of seats. The two largest parties together hold 244 seats. The four minority lists hold six seats, two of which belong to the Albanian Coalition,” said Prime Minister Kurti.
Prime Minister Kurti thanked each of the political leaders who decided to unite, the candidates who assumed responsibility and the activists who worked tirelessly.
“Unity serves the common good, but it also benefits each of you. This unity must not end on 25 October. Rather, we must understand that, on 25 October, this unity, which represents a new quality, entered a new chapter, a chapter that must continue through the strong defence of rights, the demand for equality and the pursuit of a dignified life in one’s homeland,” said Prime Minister Kurti, emphasising that the two seats are a shared achievement and, above all, a shared responsibility.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full address:
Honourable Shaip Kamberi, Visar Mehmeti, Ardita Sinani, Shqiprim Musliu, Salih Salihu, Armend Aliu, Nagip Arifi, Naser Haziri, Enkel Rexhepi, Amina Nuraj and Ragmi Mustafi.
Other distinguished representatives from Presheva, Bujanoc, Medvegjë and Novi Pazar.
Dear activists and compatriots,
Honourable attendees,
On 29 September, when we met here at the Office of the Prime Minister, together with you as representatives of the Albanians under Serbia, we agreed on a common goal: for Presheva, Medvegja, Bujanoc and Novi Pazar to be represented together. In other words, all Albanian political entities on a single list called the “Albanian Coalition”.
Today, less than a month later, now that 8,187 of a total of 8,392 polling stations have been processed, or 97.56% of them, with only 205 polling stations remaining unprocessed, we have a clear answer from the citizens.
The Albanian Coalition: 27,670 votes! This is the highest result achieved by Albanians since 2000. A full 1,233 votes more than in 2020, when three seats were won.
With the 35% increase in electoral coefficients for national minorities, this result has a calculated equivalent of 37,354 votes.
Of the 18 lists that contested Serbia’s parliamentary elections, only six secured seats, which means that 12 did not; only one third of the lists won seats. Of the nine national minority lists, only four, less than half, secured seats.
Albanians are the fourth-largest minority by population in Serbia, but ranked second in terms of votes and joint first with the Hungarians in terms of seats among the national minority lists. Among the parliamentary lists, they ranked fourth in terms of votes and third in terms of seats.
The two largest parties together hold 244 seats. The four minority lists hold six seats, two of which belong to the Albanian Coalition.
These elections brought major changes to Serbia’s political landscape. The Student List came first, Vučić’s coalition lost its parliamentary majority, while Dačić’s list failed to enter the National Assembly.
A quarter of a century later, after the defeat of Milošević and Šešelj at the beginning of the 21st century, their political successors, Vučić and Dačić, were also defeated.
Therefore, your victory is doubly historic: because you have set a new record compared with 2020, and because you are part of a major change that has now become possible in the Republic of Kosovo’s northern neighbour, to which all of you, each and every one, have undoubtedly contributed, not only on election day, but through all the work and commitment you have invested, whether known or not, over many years of hard work, which proved well worth it on Sunday, 25 October.
Now, naturally, the significance of the Albanian result lies not only in the numbers. It lies in the circumstances in which it was achieved.
Amid the deactivation of addresses, non-recognition of diplomas, systematic exclusion from public institutions, economic discrimination, emigration and the depopulation of Albanian settlements, for more than two decades Albanians have thus been a kind of double opposition: opposition to the government and opposition to the state, which had placed itself in opposition to them.
And yet, you achieved the highest electoral result in more than two decades. It is therefore a victory despite difficulties that others did not face.
I wish to thank each of the political leaders who decided to unite, the candidates who assumed responsibility and the activists who worked tirelessly. I thank all of you here. I am forever grateful, but I naturally believe that together we can also thank those who are not among us today, whom you represent. You know how hard they worked, and perhaps I, unlike you, will never learn their names; yet their names resound powerfully in the shared victory, which showed the value and weight that Albanian unity can carry.
Once again, thank you very much. I hope that we will now continue to stand together, so that we can coordinate as closely as possible on the challenges ahead of us. Differences between the parties will continue to exist, but we will also draw this lesson ourselves: when we place the common good ahead of our differences and hold it above them, the result is that we benefit together and, to be frank, individually as well. Today, each of you, not only in Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoc, but wherever there are Albanians, enjoys the highest standing. Each of you has the strongest reputation, precisely because of this unity.
Therefore, unity serves the common good, but it also benefits each of you. This unity must not end on 25 October. Rather, we must understand that, on 25 October, this unity, which represents a new quality, entered a new chapter, a chapter that must continue through the strong defence of rights, the demand for equality and the pursuit of a dignified life in one’s homeland.
The two seats are a shared achievement and, above all, a shared responsibility. Where opportunities are greater, responsibility is also greater.
Regardless of how the election campaign unfolded and the problems on the ground, we will always stand by you. We now also have full institutional stability in the Republic of Kosovo, so do not come knocking, because for Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoc we have removed the door altogether.
Once again, congratulations, and may you enjoy this success. Thank you for all this work and for this entire achievement!
