From Tirana to Belgrade: The Criminal Cartography of a Collapsing Region

TIRANA, Albania — Beneath the diplomatic sheen of summits and handshakes, a darker narrative is taking root in the Western Balkans, one where crime and politics have woven themselves into a potent alliance, threatening the very fabric of European security. This is not mere conjecture. It is the result of a two-year-long investigative effort, the findings of which were recently discussed in a searing interview by The Gunpowder Chronicles editor-in-chief Vudi Xhymshiti with TRT World’s Samir Sejfovic.

Speaking from the Albanian capital, Xhymshiti laid bare a chilling hypothesis: that a triangle of political power, comprising Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Bosnia’s Milorad Dodik, and Albania’s Edi Rama, has coalesced into what he called “a national security threat to Eastern Europe.”

“It’s unfortunate,” he said, “but the evidence points to Rama playing the good man of diplomacy to Europe, while helping Vucic and, indirectly, Moscow’s interests in the Balkans. The result is a fragile region increasingly susceptible to Kremlin influence and internal collapse.”

An Alliance in the Shadows

Xhymshiti alleges that the Balkan leaders’ entanglements go beyond geopolitics and border on complicity in transnational criminality. “They are just pure criminal entities sitting in the corridors of power,” he stated, unflinchingly. “They’ve opened doors to drug cartels and criminal groups not for ideology, but to hold onto power, to steal.”

This assessment echoes the sentiment of a growing number of European analysts and watchdog organisations who warn of Serbia’s strategic alignment with Moscow. In September 2022¹, Belgrade signed a foreign policy agreement with Russia, just months after the invasion of Ukraine. According to Xhymshiti, this marked a decisive turn in Serbia’s regional posture.

“Since then,” he said, “we’ve seen consistent, significant escalation², provocations in Montenegro, destabilisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina³, and an attempted annexation of northern Kosovo in September 2023⁴.”

Rama’s Role and Europe’s Blind Eye

One of the most jarring revelations in the interview was the alleged role of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. “In the early hours of the attack on Kosovo in 2023,” said Xhymshiti, “Rama rushed to make a statement calling for peace talks. It was a thinly veiled endorsement of Serbia’s annexation attempt. He later backtracked, but the damage was done.”

This pattern of rhetorical gymnastics, Xhymshiti argues, allows Rama to pose as a cooperative partner to the West while facilitating a political climate ripe for Kremlin exploitation.

“He plays the mirror of the good man,” said Xhymshiti. “But what he actually does is offer Vucic a helping hand in his operations.”

Such claims are profoundly disturbing, especially given the European Union’s continued engagement with Tirana and Belgrade. According to Xhymshiti, the EU and the Biden administration’s approach to the Balkans has been one of “appeasement and tolerance” — a policy that has not only failed to contain regional tensions but may have actively enabled them.

“In Bosnia, Vucic has propped up Dodik’s secessionist rhetoric. In Kosovo, he’s undermined sovereignty. And in Tirana, Rama has made himself an ally to both. And yet, Brussels and Washington keep turning the other cheek,” he remarked.

The Triangle’s Strategy: Destabilise and Delay Justice

At the heart of this political architecture is a shared aim: undermine the mechanisms of justice, particularly the Hague-based Kosovo Specialist Chambers, where former Kosovo Liberation Army leaders are on trial.

“What we’ve found,” said Xhymshiti, “is a concerted effort by actors in Serbia, Albania, and elements within Kosovo to delegitimise the Hague proceedings. Their goal is simple: to facilitate a return of wartime-era figures to political prominence, people Moscow knows how to manipulate.”

The implication is stark. Should these figures return, Xhymshiti argues, Serbia would be well-positioned to reassert itself inside Kosovo’s institutions. Already, he notes, Belgrade’s reach has been curtailed by Kosovo’s current government, which came to power in 2021⁵.

“Serbian criminal groups have been dismantled. Serbian dinars are phased out. The Serbian state apparatus no longer operates in Kosovo,” he said. “That is precisely why Vucic and his allies want Prime Minister Kurti and President Osmani leadership gone.”

The Spectre of War

When asked about the possibility of renewed conflict in the Balkans, Xhymshiti did not mince words. “War is at the doorstep,” he warned. “Europe is rearming. The Baltics are on a war footing. France, Germany, Britain — all preparing. That’s not by accident. When you go out to buy weapons, it’s because you know what’s coming.”

In this context, the ongoing political and criminal collusion in the Balkans is not merely a regional issue. It is a European one. And unless the West changes course, Xhymshiti fears the results could be catastrophic.

“The later they wake up,” he said of European leaders, “the worse it gets. Delay means we’re going to be dealing with consequences we may not be able to reverse.”

A Call to the People

Despite the grim outlook, Xhymshiti closed the conversation with a call for civic responsibility.

“People must not vote for criminal politicians,” he urged. “These are the very people Russia uses, not out of ideology, but because of their vulnerability. Once involved in crime, they can be coerced. That’s how the Kremlin builds loyalty.”

The stakes, according to Xhymshiti, have never been higher. In a region where history is heavy and justice still contested, the convergence of political ambition, criminal enterprise, and foreign manipulation may be ushering in a new and perilous chapter, not only for the Balkans, but for the entire European continent.

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1. EU candidate Serbia and Russia sign foreign policy agreement — AP.

2. Balkan Stability in Peril: Kosovo in the Crosshairs — The GPC.

3. The Fragile Peace of Bosnia and Herzegovina — The GPC.

4. One Year After Banjska: The West’s Role in Serbia’s Balkan Escalation — The GPC.

5. Serbia's Parallel Structures Fall in Kosovo — The GPC.