Serbian propaganda machine targets Syrian Albanians

2025-02-21 16:08:00, Opinione CNA

By Baki Rexhepi

The main objective of this “war” seems to be to prevent the recognition of the state of Kosovo by the states that have not yet recognized it. Taking as a trigger an article published on an online portal in Serbia, it is worth noting the fact that the ancient tactic of “divide and rule” is being applied by Serbia to attack the Albanian factor in the region and to identify it as an extremist, a supporter of terrorism and a factor of instability in the region.

The triumph of the Syrian opposition and the coming to power of Ahmed al-Sharaa, bringing about regime change in Syria and the removal of Bashar al-Assad, have brought to the attention of public opinion an important element that directly affects the Albanian factor in the region, and in particular that in North Macedonia and Kosovo.

The “Albanian Community”, a group of fighters composed mainly of Albanians from North Macedonia and Kosovo, has been an important faction that has contributed to the liberation of Syria from the regime of Bashar al-Assad, as part of the formation that led this war, known as “Hay'at Tahr?r Al-Sham”. The Albanians of the “Albanian Community” and their contribution to the liberation of Syria are part of the new socio-political reality in Syria, but also in the international arena and are now being integrated into the new institutions of the Syrian government to begin the work of rebuilding Syria destroyed by a long war of almost thirteen years.

It is precisely this group of fighters and some of the leading figures of this group that seem to be being used by Serbia to set in motion a propaganda machine with the aim of labeling the Albanians of North Macedonia and Kosovo as “terrorists” and “supporters of terrorism”, who are ready to attack Serbia, in the event of a possible conflict in Kosovo. A tactic that attempts to sow the “seed of doubt” within the new Syrian leadership itself, in the hope that it may perhaps influence the denigration of Albanians and their finger pointing as terrorists. These ridiculous statements that have no connection with reality and facts, resemble a cry of despair, which is held hopefully by a blade of grass, just like a drowning man who makes a last effort, even though fate has already determined the future. The questions that arise here are at least three: Why is Serbia interested in sowing disinformation against Albanians at this very moment? Can these "wet-wicked cannonballs" be transformed into "blades of grass" that would save the Serbian political leadership from the "waves" of protesting students, which are being projected as an inevitable suffocation for the autocratic regime? Are these old Serbian methods, encouraged by external factors, who are interested in inciting new ethnic tensions in the Balkans?

Official Belgrade, which has always been a strong horse of (aggressive) domestic politics, has always had what happens in foreign policy, and is showing signs of reactivating its propaganda machinery towards Albanians. This machinery operates through disinformation, but with the main goal of influencing public opinion or even political power, in preventing recognition of Kosovo or even in withdrawing recognition, as has happened in the past.

In flagrant violation of the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Implementation Annex of 2023, Serbia has not stopped at any moment the campaign to withdraw recognitions of Kosovo's independence. The "commercial-military" diplomacy that Belgrade has pursued has taken strong roots mainly in African countries that have open conflicts with their neighbors. Interested in obtaining weapons and ammunition from the Serbian military industry, these countries have become easy prey for Serbian foreign policy, agreeing to withdraw recognition of Kosovo. Businessmen with high influence in Serbian politics, financiers of the ruling political party or even former advisors to the government and certain ministers, are the main figures of this "commercial-military" diplomacy. Serbian politics usually uses these diplomatic triumphs for internal political consumption.

It is universally known and a political reality that the relations of the new Syrian government are increasingly oriented towards the West and away from Russia and China. In a very short but very intense period of time, the main actors of Syria's foreign policy have held dozens of official meetings with important political factors in Europe and beyond. The message that emerged from these meetings was to offer a guarantee that the new chapter that Syria has opened is oriented towards peace and cooperation with the West and not conflict and disagreements. In these dynamic developments, Turkey also plays an important role, offering its support to the new Syrian government and in particular to the new Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Faced with this new political reality in Syria that has restructured geopolitics in the Middle East, it seems that Serbia is already foreseeing that in the not too distant future, the next recognition for Kosovo could come precisely from the new Syrian government. Perhaps a moral obligation for the contribution of Albanian fighters in the fight to overthrow Assad, perhaps a “friendly advice” from official Ankara, or a choice of the new Syrian leadership itself, whatever the reason, a path is already appearing on the horizon that could lead to a new recognition for Kosovo. Discussions and institutional bureaucracies between the parties will take their necessary time, and until then other sticks may be put under the wheels, but the destination of this path remains one and unchanged.