Kosovo’s Political Mafia: Will They Stop at Nothing to Take Down Albin Kurti?

A corrupt old guard, an assassination plot, and a media machine, inside the campaign to bring down Kosovo’s reformist Prime Minister, Albin Kurti.

Since 2021, Kosovo has experienced a significant political shift following the landslide victory of Prime Minister Albin Kurti and his administration. This electoral upheaval ended two decades of governance by political parties widely associated with corruption and organised crime. A cornerstone of Kurti’s leadership has been the push for anti-corruption reforms, particularly legislation targeting unjustified wealth among political elites¹. Unsurprisingly, this has provoked a backlash from entrenched power structures, oligarchs, and their affiliated media outlets.

While opposition to reform is expected in any democracy, the nature and intensity of attacks on Kurti suggest a more coordinated and possibly preemptive campaign. The question now arises: is this a political offensive aimed at discrediting him ahead of upcoming elections, or is it a warning sign of something more dangerous?

Haradinaj, Prek Kodra, and the Shadow of Political Violence

Former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, a prom…