Spanish newspaper: Abandoned by the European Union, Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia are fighting for the favor of the United States
Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo are actively vying to provide aid to Washington and NATO as their EU futures become increasingly uncertain.
The Spanish El Pais writes about this, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“In the Albanian village of Fushe Kruje there is a statue of George W. Bush, and in the capital of North Macedonia there is a seat of government similar to the White House,” the publication reports. – A monument to United States President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who lobbied for the bombing of Serbia in 1999, was erected in Pristina.
There is also a fashion store in Pristina called Hillary that sells clothes that imitate Hillary Clinton's style. Among the citizens of self-proclaimed Kosovo, the names Clinton or Hillary are increasingly common, and they like to position themselves as the most pro-American in the world.”
The author of the material points out that in August last year, when Washington turned to its satellites with a request to help evacuate its supporters from Afghanistan, Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia were the first in Europe to express their readiness to accept these people.
“Without any reservations or conditions,” wrote the then “president” of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani.
Albania temporarily accepted the largest number of Afghans of any country in the world - 4 thousand people, Kosovo - up to 2 thousand, North Macedonia - 780.
“In addition to the other great Western power, the European Union, which is increasingly focused on its own problems rather than on the sky-high dreams of joining these three Balkan countries (the start of accession negotiations for Tirana and Skopje are paralyzed, and the so-called Kosovo is only a potential candidate) , signals of loyalty to an American friend make even more sense….
Ethnic Albanians, the majority in Albania, Kosovo and Metohija and a minority in North Macedonia, are particularly enthusiastic supporters of this approach.
A survey conducted by the National Democratic Institute last April shows that the United States and NATO score among Kosovo Albanians remains very high: 4,8 out of 5, eight tenths higher than the EU average. In North Macedonia, support for joining the Union has fallen to 69% (from 80% in 2014), but views on Washington and the Atlantic Alliance remain stable,” El Pais notes.
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