The debate over the opening of a Serbian consulate in Shkodra is entering a heated political phase. Former Socialist Party MP Marjana Koçeku, who left the party, has publicly come out against the idea and has announced a protest on Sunday, also targeting the way Albanian institutions have handled the issue.
Strong reaction to the consulate idea
Koçeku says that the opening of a Serbian consulate in Shkodra “will not pass easily,” turning the issue from a diplomatic discussion into an open political and public confrontation.
Her position comes at a time when there has been no full and convincing clarification from the institutions on this topic, while only partial versions and vague wording have circulated in public.
Protest expected in Shkodra on Sunday
According to her announcement, protests are expected to begin in Shkodra on Sunday against the opening of the Serbian consulate.
The call for protest shifts the debate from offices to the streets, in a city where such issues tend to carry strong historical and political weight.
Criticism of official explanations
Koçeku accuses the Albanian state of having so far provided only “murky explanations” on the issue, which in her view look more like attempts to sidestep it than to explain it.
At its core, the criticism concerns a lack of transparency: the public has heard references to diplomatic principles, bilateral relations and economic benefits, but not a clear explanation of why this initiative is being pushed precisely now and on what basis.
The Kosovo context and the political weight of the debate
Koçeku’s reaction is also linked to recent developments in Kosovo. She mentions the excavations launched in Zubin Potok to find the bodies of victims of the Kosovo war, where a mass grave is suspected to contain 23 intellectuals killed by Serbian forces, while the bodies of 6 of them have so far been found.
She also refers to information about weapons found during raids and the arrest of a person who had been a member of the Yugoslav Army. Against this backdrop, she argues, any discussion of “good neighborliness” and opening a consulate without full political and moral clarification faces strong public opposition.
For the moment, the issue remains shrouded in official uncertainty and rising political tension.
What is clear is that opposition to this initiative has now entered the public sphere, and Shkodra is expected to be the first point of open confrontation over this decision-making.