There is nothing more comical than seeing our state diplomacy perform "fierce battles" with a smile on its face. Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ferit Hoxha, did not miss the opportunity to take a quick photo, standing and in a hurry, with his Serbian counterpart, Marko Djuric, during the Ministerial in Washington.
Although the image shows two ministers who appear to be sharing a friendly chat, Hoxha was quick to clarify on social media that behind that warm smile were hidden "bitter words" and harsh stances.
According to his post, Hoxha reiterated to Djuric the firm stance of official Tirana towards the recent statements of a member of the Serbian government (Milica Djurgjevic Stamenkovski, Minister for Family, who declared that "if I were in Milosevic's place, I would carry out ethnic cleansing in Kosovo").
In his scattered reaction, Hoxha writes:
"I reiterated Albania's clear and firm position regarding the unacceptable and irresponsible statements recently made by a member of the Serbian Government, and stressed the need to unequivocally reject rhetoric that incites tensions, undermines regional stability and cooperation, and runs counter to the spirit of good neighborly relations and European values."
He closes by philosophizing on the nature of his work: "This is what diplomacy is all about: engaging in open dialogue, looking each other in the eye, facing reality, and addressing differences responsibly."
The scenario is already familiar: we shake hands and smile in front of the camera to show "constructivity" and "eye-to-eye contact" in the corridors of Washington, while we reserve the "slaps" and harsh patriotic tones for internal consumption on platform X. A fluid diplomacy where regional tensions miraculously soften before the flash of light.
