Selim Ibraimi- Governments and leaders try to work and predict the best scenarios for governance and the future. However, sometimes, things take a different direction. And despite internal turmoil and concerns, a leader must act according to reality. In politics, as Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) emphasizes in his book “The Prince”, leaders face crises of various natures. According to him, a series of external and internal factors will attempt to destroy a ruler’s governance. The ruler must be prepared. He should see reality as it is. Thus, he gives us an example with Cesare Borgia (1475–1507). Although considered cruel, Borgia managed to reform and unite Romagna in the then Italy. However, his power collapsed after the death of Pope Alexander VI in 1503. The death of Alexander VI hit Borgia very hard. He lost all his engagements because his power depended more on external forces and internal calculations. His tactics and strategy, which relied on force and lies, were no longer in the interest of the Romagna government. Now, let us move on to our Balkan terrain, following the historical example of medieval Italian politics.
In modern times, the lack of concrete actions often turns into a fog. Repeatedly, leaders decide to define what is good or bad for others. In our time, leaders face pressures from internal factors. These include historical narratives and collective memories of the past. Instead of using the opportunity for good, leaders act differently. They assume they are acting well and in accordance with state and national interests. And here too, people sometimes cannot distinguish between what is good and what is bad. They accept a reality established by others.
In our Balkans, even going backwards can be seen as progress by this type of leader. It is considered a good way by them. Classic examples are Kosovo, Serbia, and North Macedonia. Leaders in these countries lack the ability to get out of the closed circle they have entered. They are forced to escape the existing reality in their respective countries. Their actions and reactions are meaningless. To bridge the gap, governments and leaders need not emulate Cesare Borgia’s toughness. They simply need to reorganize their inner circle to have a clearer view of foreign and domestic issues. Recent reactions from Belgrade, Skopje, and Pristina show a decline in government prioritization. It is noticeable in all three capitals. A few days ago, Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski made a statement. He said that North Macedonia is ahead of Albania in the race towards the EU.
“We are ahead of Albania. Some European commissioners have said some such things. When it comes to analyzing which country is ready, Montenegro is first. Macedonia and Serbia are in second place. Then comes Albania,” said Prime Minister Mickoski.
Losing a leader in the harsh reality is very common in politics. It is especially common when domestic and international factors determine the features of the country. In particular, in North Macedonia, domestic and other circumstances affect the country’s future. Thus, his reaction was expected.
The other case is Kosovo. Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in his unsuitable position to form a new government, made a statement. In it, he showed the features explained at the beginning of the text. Prime Minister Albin Kurti praised the Vlen parties in North Macedonia in a Facebook post. He commended them for the success achieved in the recent local elections. “From Chair to Tetovo, Vlen has managed to win in ten municipalities in North Macedonia. The success in the local elections confirms Vlen’s good governance. It reflects the will for change of Albanians. It offers a great chance for reforms in North Macedonia. “In the first 15 months in power, Vlen has governed with clean hands. There has been no corruption or scandals. Vlen has made an ethical difference from the previous governments. It is precisely this spirit of change that created open cooperation between Kosovo and North Macedonia. This cooperation is multidimensional. From the substantive meeting of our two governments, Kosovo and North Macedonia have met and discussed. They have also jointly managed the border. Kosovo and North Macedonia have deepened neighborly relations like never before. The Government of Kosovo welcomes the democratic developments in North Macedonia. These developments are a testament to the European perspective of our partner and ally,” Kurti underlined on Facebook.
Some Balkan leaders, such as Mickoski, believe that Serbia is close to EU membership. However, the EU does not share that view. The EU’s latest report showed that Serbia has stalled on the path to membership. Currently, discussions with Ukrainian President Zelensky about arms sales have shaken Serbian foreign policy. These talks have the potential to create new tensions with Moscow. In all three cases, there’s no other explanation. When all three countries are blocked, they receive bad reports from the EU. The leaders cover up with something else. This is described in the statements issued by Kurti, Mickoski, etc. Ignoring reality and drawing a conclusion that does not match the concrete factors can be a bad fate for leaders. As for the impact on the governments of the region, governing with illusions can be dangerous. The example of Borgia’s role in medieval Italian politics is quite significant. Our leaders will face the consequences of losing power today or tomorrow.
The article was written specifically for Portalb.mk. The publication rights belong only to Portalb.mk and the author, according to the agreement between them.