Kosovar Hillari: ‘I hope Hillary Clinton will win’

In Kosovo, where the Hillary boutique sells red and blue pantsuits, Kosovars explain why they are with Clinton.

Hillary Clinton talks during a joint news conference following meetings at the Prime Minister''s Office in Pristin
'There are a lot of reasons why these elections are important for us.' [Hazir Reka/Reuters]
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Pristina, Kosovo In Europe’s newest capital, where the Stars and Stripes are prominently displayed outside buildings and boulevards are named after famous US and British politicians, one stands out from the mix: Bill Clinton Boulevard. There is even a women’s clothing boutique here that sells red and blue pantsuits called “Hillary” that was visited by the former secretary of state in 2010.

Seventeen years after the Kosovo war with Serbia, support for the Clintons has not wavered in the tiny Balkan nation that still credits the US for liberating the country from Serbia after leading NATO’s efforts to remove Slobodan Milosevic’s forces from Kosovo. 

Diana Morina, 20, political science student

Tomorrow is going to be America’s biggest elections and there are a lot of reasons why these elections are important for us. I am studying political science and I want to keep on going to pursue gender studies and that’s why I was reading all the time about Hillary and these elections.

It feels really good to have a woman as a candidate.

Diana Morina, 20, political science student [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]
Diana Morina, 20, political science student [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]

It means a lot to me as a Kosovar and as a young girl because she gives me hope that I can keep studying and I can be an important person just like her. Knowing that she is older than I am, that means that she went through a lot of problems. Women were not always in good positions in politics and economics and all the fields but she made it through. 

Knowing that she made it through all this, why can’t I make it through?

Living in a country like Kosovo is pretty hard, we know what people think here – the mentality of old people especially – and this makes me believe that I can do what I want to do and that I can achieve my dreams. This is why I really would love to see her winning the election.


Elda Morina, 34, co-owner of ‘Hillary’ boutiques

I didn’t imagine that I would have so many emotions. 

Elda Morina, 34, co-owner of
Elda Morina, 34, co-owner of “Hillary” boutiques [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]

I think that this special woman deserves the victory and let’s hope that we’ll soon see her as the next president in the White House. This is a historical event for the US, meaning that this will be the first time that the US will the ruled by a woman. I believe that she has potential and experience in politics to rule a country.

When she will finally have the presidential post, all her potential will rise to the surface. 

She truly deserves this post. I hope with all my heart that she will win.

We are linked with this situation [Hillary Clinton’s candidacy] since the beginning [the family-run Hillary boutiques that started in 2002, after the end of the war]. This link is now more connected, that is why I am so emotional, also because of her visit [to the store], also with her popularity, it’s linked.

READ MORE: Kosovo shops celebrate Hillary Clinton and her style


Flamur Neziri, 20, works at Islamic shop

I think that Donald does all of this only to create noise, it’s not like he will do the things that he pretends to do.

Of course the majority of the Muslims are pro-Hillary because she’s more pro-Islam than Donald. I observe the situation from the religious perspective – the Muslim perspective. Donald is a little bit crazy.

Flamur Neziri, 20, works at Islamic shop [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]
Flamur Neziri, 20, works at Islamic shop [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]

I hope [Hillary will win] and we also won’t forget that she is Bill’s wife.

I think that she’ll be better than Bill, she’s a complete woman as we say here, and you can tell that she has political experience. She knows that field, she’s been a member of American politics and it’s nothing new for her. I think that she can easily deal with it and also make it [as president].

Of course in the US you don’t have to promise roads and build apartment blocks as our politicians do here, because all of those things already exist over there. But there [in the US] you have to come up with something dramatic to get the attention of the people, to attract the people to be more interested in you, and to lead the people in believing that maybe the situation could change. This is the method that Donald Trump is using.

Even if he comes to power he won’t do the majority of the things that he promised.

READ MORE: On the road with Kosovo\’s first female president


Hillari Alidema, 21, speech therapy student

I am Hillari Alidema, I was born in January 1995. My grandfather named me, which was before the war and what makes my story kind of interesting. 

Hillari Alidema, 21, speech therapy student [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]
Hillari Alidema, 21, speech therapy student [Valerie Plesch/Al Jazeera]

I feel very good that I hold the name of Mrs Hillary and I feel privileged. Of course she’s an inspiration for me to move forwards in education and everything else [in life].

I believe that she has to win because she’s worthy and the most prepared person to lead a world superpower like the US.

I have her name and the elections are very important because for the next four years, the good relations between Kosovo and the US would continue.

Source: Al Jazeera