Prishtinë, 28 tetor 2022
Prime Minister Kurti’s address at the reception organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Kosova, on the occasion of the Czechoslovak Independence Day:
Honourable Ambassador of the Czech Republic, Mr. Pavel Bilek,
Honourable representatives of the institutions, members of Parliament, Ministers of the Government,
Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
As we gather today to celebrate 28th of October, the day of the establishment of the independent Czechoslovakia in 1918, 104 years ago, under the leadership of Tomas Masaryk, we reflect on the impact made, when coming together to achieve a common goal.
The Republic of Kosova and the Czech Republic enjoy a great partnership and friendship. I am glad that our relationship is growing stronger day by day, as the Czech Republic has once more become a strong advocator and a voice of reason, calling for freedom of movement for the people of Kosova.
The Czech Republic has been among the first to recognize the independence of Kosova in 2008, and has continuously supported our country in state building, peace, security and euro-atlantic integration. The Czech Embassy was among the first likewise to be inaugurated in Kosova, from the then Deputy Foreign Minister, Tomáš Pojar.
Czech Republic supported Kosova during the 1990s, a period when it was critical. As someone who lived under Soviet oppression and witnessed the cost of inaction, President Václav Havel insisted that Czech armed forces join the US-led coalition against the criminal regime of Milosevic to stop genocide in Kosova. Your continued commitment to the human rights legacy of President Havel, further illustrate how we can learn from the past and continue to work toward a free and more just world.
Your people know the ordeal of oppression. From the days of the First Republic, through the Nazi occupation and the Communist era, have struggled and ultimately persevered in your own pursuit of liberty and democratic self-governance.
The strong commitment to freedom, and for NATO intervention in Kosova, came also from a former Czech refugee, Madeline Albright, who, as Secretary Blinken evoked in his video message recently, was forced from her home in Czechoslovakia twice, first from the Nazi and the Communists, and lived through the blitz in London, hiding in shelters.
This year the Czech Capital has hosted the European Political Community, and the Czech Presidency of the European Union has taken an active role in pushing visa liberalization for our country. We are very grateful and thankful for this.
I can gladly say that bilateral relations between our countries have intensified in recent years, as evidenced by the support of the political spectrum in both countries, increasing dynamics of economic exchange and people to people contacts. In recent months we had frequent visits between Czech Republic and Republic of Kosova, demonstrating our strong bilateral relations and cooperation. Last month we hosted Foreign Minister Lipavský, a delegation of MPs from the Czech Parliament, and earlier in the year the Deputy Minister Dvořák. Czech companies are present in our economy, especially in energy and mining.
A testimony to our skillful youth, especially in ICT sector, is also the successful high tech firm, Gjirafa, a combination of Kosova talent and Czech and US investment. And I don’t know if some of you know, but the yellow buses you see every day in Prishtina, are made from the Czech Company IVECO.
Dear all, Your excellency Ambassador Bilek,
The Czech people have led revolutions in the arts and science, in politics and in poetry, and have stood firmly for freedom and democracy. Recent history of Europe can not be learned without trajectory from Jan Palach to Václav Havel. But likewise the art and culture have reserved a prestigious place for so many Czech authors: writers from Franz Kafka to Jaroslav Seifert to Milan Kundera, filmmakers from Jiří Menzel, to Miloš Forman, to Jan Svěrák, you all remember the movie “Kolya”, 25 years ago; and of course, music composers from Bedřich Smetana to Antonín Dvořák to Gustav Mahler. As we reflect today on 104 years of your independence, let us renew our commitment to work together as friends and allies to protect, preserve, and promote our shared values. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder to celebrate and to defend these values.
Všechno nejlepší! Na zdraví! Congratulations!
Last modified: October 28, 2022