The recent protests in Tirana did not only open a political debate. They brought to the center of attention a question that Albanians have avoided for years: what is the mother state and how far does its responsibility go?

The participation of public figures from Kosovo and North Macedonia, including politicians from the VLEN coalition, as well as the decision of the Albanian authorities to declare some of them persona non grata, made this debate even more current. In the same context, the name of Hoxha Bekir Halimi was also mentioned, which, to be honest, surprised me. I am not aware that he has publicly incited protests in Albania. However, this is not the point of this article. One fact remains indisputable: Hoxha Bekir Halimi enjoys wide respect throughout the Albanian Muslim community, just as many Albanian politicians from VLEN, Lévizja Vetëvendosje, BDI and other entities enjoy support and respect in Albania.

What interests me in this article is a deeper issue.

For Albanians in the region, Albania is the motherland. It represents our history, language, culture and national memory. But the mother state is not the same as the rule of law. Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro are sovereign states, each with its own institutions and constitutional order. The national association cannot replace the law nor the sovereignty of each state.

This is exactly where the misunderstanding arises. The nation is often confused with the state, as if legal boundaries do not exist. But they exist and apply to everyone. If a citizen of Kosovo, North Macedonia or Montenegro engages in the political life of Albania, he will be treated as a citizen of another country. The same logic would be applied in Pristina, Skopje or Podgorica to an Albanian citizen.

This is not a matter of patriotism. It is a matter of respecting the rules on which nation states operate.

The experience of the Balkans has shown that in times of crisis, politics often obscures reason. Not infrequently, political decisions and attitudes are influenced more by the tension of the moment than by rational judgment. In such cases, the desire to defeat the political opponent prevails over the public interest. Unfortunately, Albania has not been an exception to this reality during the last 35 years.

However, this does not relieve Albania of the responsibility it carries as a mother state. Precisely for this reason, it is wrong for her to identify with a party, a government or a political wing in relation to the Albanians of the region. It should be the common home of all Albanians, wherever they live. Its authority stems from impartiality, justice and the ability to protect the national interest over the political interests of the day.

Even Albanians outside the borders of Albania must understand this. They should not expect the mother country to support one political wing against another. What they have the right to expect is support for education, culture, national identity, diplomacy, economic development and capacity building. This is exactly how trust is built and the national bond is strengthened.

Even when disagreements arise, dialogue should be the first way. Punitive measures against Albanians outside the borders of the mother country should remain the exception and not the practice, being used only after all other legal and institutional options have been exhausted. A mother state does not strengthen its authority by punishing the Albanians, but by gaining their trust and respect.

Therefore, this debate should not be seen only as a political clash. It is an opportunity to better understand the relationship between the nation, the state and the role that the mother state should have.

The nation unites us. The state sets the rules. One cannot replace the other.

Ultimately, the strength of the mother state is not measured by unclear decisions, but by the justice it guarantees, the faith it inspires and the ability to unite Albanians without distinction. If he succeeds in fulfilling this mission, he gains moral authority and a place in history. This is the highest aspiration any leader can have: to be remembered not as a leader of a party or a government, but as a figure who served the nation and left behind a legacy of unity with the right to be called the Father of the Nation.

Source: prizrenpost