Sometimes, a name can make the irony almost write itself.
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| Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić hands a diploma to a military officer during an official ceremony. Security expert Bedri Elezi claimed that Shpresa Berisha, originally from Peja and sister to politician Demo Berisha, was promoted to the rank of general in the Serbian Armed Forces with special assignments—sparking political commentary and irony surrounding surname, heritage, and national allegiance in the region. |
“Shpresa” means “Hope” in Albanian. And according to claims made by security expert Bedri Elezi, this particular Shpresa Berisha has been promoted to the rank of general in the Serbian Army and has reportedly been assigned special duties by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
So, quite literally, Serbia may have found its “Shpresa” — its Hope.
The irony becomes even greater when we remember that Shpresa Berisha is an unmistakably Albanian name. Elezi has also claimed that she is from Peja and that she is the sister of Demo Berisha, whom he identifies as a minister in the Serbian government.
And then comes the surname.
Berisha.
For Albanians, that surname immediately brings another well-known political figure to mind: Sali Berisha, Albania's former prime minister and a major figure of the country's opposition.
Sali Berisha has spent decades presenting himself as a defender of Albanian national interests, while also facing serious criticism and accusations from his political opponents over a number of positions and decisions concerning national issues.
So here we have one Berisha associated, according to Elezi's claims, with the highest levels of the Serbian state, and another Berisha at the center of Albania's political opposition.
Quite a coincidence.
And this is where the real question begins.
For years, some Albanian voices have celebrated historical Albanians who reached powerful positions inside the Ottoman Empire simply because they were Albanian.
An Albanian vizier?
A national pride.
An Albanian pasha?
A great Albanian.
An Albanian serving at the highest levels of a foreign empire?
“Look how successful our people were!”
But when an Albanian reaches a senior position in Serbia, suddenly the surname, ethnicity and title are no longer enough.
Maybe the problem was never the position.
Maybe the problem is simply who the Albanian is serving.
Because being Albanian does not automatically make someone a patriot.
A person should be judged by what they actually do and whose interests they serve — not merely by their name, bloodline or surname.
And perhaps that is the uncomfortable irony behind Shpresa Berisha.
A woman with a profoundly Albanian name, whose name literally means “Hope,” allegedly serving at the highest levels of the Serbian military.
A “Hope” for Serbia?
And another Berisha dominating Albanian political life.
Maybe names really do have a sense of humor.
Note: The claims regarding Shpresa Berisha's military rank, duties and family connections are attributed to Bedri Elezi and should be treated as such unless independently verified.