Kosovo Prime Minister Refuses Prosecutors' Summons Amid Political Tensions

Kosovan Prime Minister Albin Kurti reaffirmed his stance on Tuesday, declining once again to appear at the Special Prosecutor's Office to provide testimony in an alleged corruption scandal related to state reserves. Although Kurti himself is not accused in this matter, the prosecutors want his testimony witnessing events surrounding other officials who are implicated. Kurti first received a summons in December but stated clearly that if prosecutors wished to receive testimony, they could do so from his official office.

Kurti described the request from prosecutors as politically motivated, claiming that rather than being genuinely focused on combating corruption and criminal activities, prosecutors were exploiting their powers to oppose the government. He stressed his willingness to provide his account, constitutionally and politically, but refused to comply with what he sees as an inappropriate summons.

In contrast, Kosovo's prosecutorial authorities and the chief prosecutor have backed their decision strongly, condemning Kurti's allegations of political bias and highlighting concerns that such statements could undermine public trust and compromise democratic institutional integrity.

Politically, this situation adds complexity to the difficulties Kurti and his Self-Determination Movement Party face. Despite securing the highest number of seats in the elections held on February 9, the party does not have a clear majority in parliament and has been forced to seek coalition partners to assemble a viable governing majority.

This internal political spat unfolds in the broader regional context of ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, following years of strained relations after NATO intervened militarily to cease violence primarily against ethnic Albanians in the former Serbian province. Serbia has still not recognized Kosovo's independence, complicating normalization dialogues facilitated by the European Union since 2011. Resolving these matters is crucial, particularly because satisfactory progress in normalization discussions opens the door to potential membership in the European Union for both nations.