Since Kosovo’s independence from Serbia in 2008, there have been several discussions between Albania and Kosovo to unite into a greater Albania due to Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanian population. However, this unification doesn’t seem to be really taken seriously by either government. Despite Serbian opposition, Kosovo is a de facto independent state, and since they are ethnically Albanian and get along well, a union could be the way forward. But this unification would anger the Serbians even more, and we all know how much of a powder keg the Balkans are, especially in the Serbia-Bosnia area.
The union would, however, play into the fulfillment of the concept of a greater Albania, an irredentist and nationalist concept that seeks to unify the lands Albanians claim as their natural homeland. They base the claims on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in those areas. The most radical position states that in addition to Albania proper, they should include Kosovo, some valley in Serbia, territories in Montenegro, Greece, and even north Macedonia. If the union with Kosovo led to these further desired territorial extensions, it would pose a big problem. But it’s not clear whether Albania even wants this to happen. Most Albanian politicians are more interested in joining the European Union and NATO than in national unification. However, the people in the two countries seem to share an interest in the union. In a public poll carried out in 2019, 82.9% of Albanians and 79.4% of Kosovar Albanian showed an interest in the unification.
“Albania Kosovo Locator” By Turkish Flame - Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
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