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‘In the Balkans, if You Neglect History, It Will Backfire’

The acting prime minister of Kosovo says the United States helped bring down his government.

By , a national security and intelligence reporter at Foreign Policy.
Newly elected Prime Minister Albin Kurti reviews Kosovo's honor guard during the handover ceremony in Pristina on Feb. 4.
Newly elected Prime Minister Albin Kurti reviews Kosovo's honor guard during the handover ceremony in Pristina on Feb. 4.
Newly elected Prime Minister Albin Kurti reviews Kosovo's honor guard during the handover ceremony in Pristina on Feb. 4. Armend Ninani/AFP via Getty Images

The government of Kosovo became the first to collapse in the face of the coronavirus pandemic on March 25, following a dispute over how to respond to the outbreak. Prime Minister Albin Kurti imposed restrictions on people’s movements to help curb the spread of the virus, while his coalition partners pushed for a declaration of a state of emergency that would have given greater power to the country’s president, Hashim Thaci. 

Amy Mackinnon is a national security and intelligence reporter at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @ak_mack

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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic walks under a giant Serbian national flag during his arrival in the village of Gazivode, Serbia on Sept. 8, 2018.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic walks under a giant Serbian national flag during his arrival in the village of Gazivode, Serbia on Sept. 8, 2018.

Serbia Needs Kosovo’s Respect, Not Its Land

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Kosovo President Hashim Thaci reviews members of the Kosovo Security Force during a ceremony in Pristina on March 5.
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