Kosovo Activists Target US Diplomat

Members of the nationalist Vetevendosje (“self-determination”) movement rallied outside government buildings in the Kosovo capital Pristina on Sunday to express their unhappiness regarding departing US Ambassador Tina Kaidanow’s performance in office.

According to a group press release, Kaidanow “misused her position as the most powerful international official in Kosovo.” The statement went on to accuse the US diplomat of “totalitarian behaviour” and of bias against Albanians. 

The rally featured a street theatre performance in which three activists, portraying President Fatmir Sejdiu, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and Kaidanow, aped the Kosovo leaders, begging the US diplomat not to leave the country.

This, as other movement members called upon the Kaidanow impersonator to take Sejdiu and Thaci with her.

“Our last request: Dear Tina, since you had the ability to hurt Kosovo this much […] you can help our country if you insert our politicians in your diplomatic suitcases since they cannot do anything without you,” they said.

According to Vetevendosje, Kaidanow has been the “head instructor” in a plot to reconfigure Albanian identity.

“We have a blue and yellow flag, [meaningless] anthem and denationalized constitution, primarily owing to Tina Kaidanow”, they alleged.

Vetevendosje opposes the presence of international bodies such as the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, and EU Rule of Law Mission, EULEX, in the country.

They accuse the international community of fostering social and political problems in the country including the extant ethnic divide, which they believe is promoted by decentralisation plans.