London, 28 February 2024
During his stay in the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Hekuran Murati and the Ambassador of Kosovo to the United Kingdom, Ilir Kapiti, participated in the inauguration of the initiative “Labour Friends of Kosova” (Labour Friends of Kosova).
“Labor Friends of Kosovo” is a group of Labor Parliamentarians in the United Kingdom, with the aim of promoting strong bilateral relations between Kosovo and the United Kingdom.
In his speech, the Prime Minister said that he is convinced that this initiative will further strengthen the relations between Kosovo and the United Kingdom.
Speaking about the relations and connections between the two countries, he singled out prominent personalities from culture and sports, such as Dua Lipa and Rita Ora, Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri during the time they played in the Premier League of British Football, but also other personalities the activity of who played an important role in our relations.
Among them is Esat Kryeziu who served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, and who was posthumously awarded five medals by the late Queen Elizabeth for his service to the United Kingdom and the Allied Forces. Another personality is that of the Albanian national hero from Kosovo, Gani beg Kryeziu, who fought against fascism alongside the British soldiers, in the same War, and who was a member of the Special Operations Executive formed by the then Minister of Labor for the Economic War and later chancellor, Hugh Dalton.
Our diaspora, which fled the country as a result of Serbia’s genocidal campaign during the 1990s, has been successfully integrated into the United Kingdom, the prime minister said. He added that this community includes not only famous names, but also successful people in many different sectors of the economy and society.
He emphasized the important role that the Labor Party has played in critical moments for the people and the state of Kosovo, recalling that both in the case of the NATO intervention in 1999, strongly supported by the United Kingdom, and in the case of the recognition of independence announced in 2008 by Kosovo, the British government was led by Labour, namely former Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
“When I think of the United Kingdom, I think of your values: tolerance, modesty, courage and most importantly, honour. Britain is a country that does not turn its back on its friends and allies. A country that does not stand idly by in the face of aggression, violence and terror. We know this very well and we continue to feel and appreciate that support”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
Among the many dignitaries present at this event were Baroness Catherine Ashton, Labor MPs David Lammy, Christian Wakeford, Stephen Doughty, Luke Pollard, Nia Griffith, Wayne David, Dan Jarvis, Shabana Mahmood, Liz Twist, Gill Furniss, Anneliese Dodds who is also Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, and former UK Defense Secretary and former NATO Secretary General, George Robertson.
Last modified: February 28, 2024