THE POLITICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PRANK MADE TO RAMUSH HARADINAJ BY THE RUSSIAN PRANKSTERS

The two Russian comedians Vladimir Kuznetsov – Vovan and Alexey Stolarov – Lexus in a series of telephone pranks to several world politicians have also tricked the Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj. In April this year, Vovan and Lexus called Haradinaj on behalf of the former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko offers Haradinaj a recognition of Kosovo by Ukraine, and in return requires public support by the Kosovo Prime Minister for their fictional candidate for Prime Minister in the Ukrainian elections, Vovan Lexusov. Haradinaj fell for their prank and public humiliation followed after on the social network Twitter.

„Pranksters of the Kremlin„

One of the first ones to realize that Haradinaj was the latest victim of the Russian pranksters was the journalist of The Guardian, Shaun Walker. He announced on Twitter that Haradinaj is most likely a victim of the Kremlin’s pranksters.

Shortly after the announcement, Haradinaj’s tweet became viral and was erased immediately after the Kosovo authorities realized it was a prank.

The conversation was published by Russia 24

Unlike the other conversations of the pranksters with world politicians, the conversation with Haradinaj cannot be found on their YouTube channel. But parts of the conversation were published by the Russian television Russia 24 a few days ago.

“I hope everything will be good for you and I’m happy that I can wish you success on Sunday. This is very important for the state, I will pray for you in all elections, “Haradinaj told the Russian prankster, thinking he was talking to Poroshenko.

“Yes, and I think that after the victory, I will recognize Kosovo as an independent state,” says Poroshenko, who also asks Kosovo’s Prime Minister Haradinaj’s for public support for his “candidate”. Ramush Haradinaj’s inept tweet followed probably immediately after this conversation.

Political background

Haradinaj has been Prime Minister of Kosovo since September 2017 and had previously had problems with the World Court because of his past as a member of the Kosovo KLA. As Prime Minister, he became quite controversial to the international politicians due to the 100% tax set for Serbian products that are imported in Kosovo. Interestingly, from the period when Kosovo announced the tax, until the telephone prank of the Russian pranksters, two meetings between the Serbian and the Russian Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin were held, one in Moscow and the other in Belgrade.

Kosovo was certainly one of the topics discussed at these meetings, and during the visit to Belgrade, Putin publicly criticized Kosovo for “provocations” because of Kosovo’s decision to form an army.

Serbian-Russian narratives for Greater Albania

The Russian authorities in the last few years very often and out of nowhere, bring up the thesis of some kind of “Great Albania“, which, according to them, is being prepared with the help of the West. These statements from the Russian diplomacy come from 2017 onwards. Also, on April 18 this year, two days before the conversation between the Russian pranksters with Haradinaj, the Foreign Ministry of Russia made a statement, criticizing the West that “it shuts its eyes in front of the concrete steps for Great Albania in the Balkans”. A day later, a statement from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was published in the Serbian media, entitled “It is being intensively worked on the formation of Great Albania! Moscow warns.”