Waterbury, Connecticut, 29 September, 2024
During his stay in the United States of America, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz, her Deputy Minister, Liza Gashi, as well as the Consul General of Kosovo in New York, Blerim Reka, were welcomed to a grand event by our diaspora at the Hasan Prishtina Albanian-American Cultural Center in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Among the many participants in this reception was the Mayor of the City of Waterbury, Paul K. Pernerewski Jr., US Senator Richard Blumenthal and the Chief of Police of Waterbury, Fred Spagnolo.
Prime Minister Kurti thanked his compatriots for the warm welcome. At the same time, he thanked the Mayor of the City, Pernerewski and Senator Blumenthal for their presence and their words of support, and for the honor with the Key of the City.
“We know that you are outside the homeland, but we also know that you are inside the nation and being inside the nation we have responsibility for each other, and we must work together as much as possible for a greater social and family contribution but also state and national so that the Albanianness that we will leave to the generations after us will be much better than what we found” said Prime Minister Kurti during his address.
He said that during these three and a half years of governance, we have tried to set an example of contribution to our country, so that we invest where there is the most need.
Reflecting on the achievements of the state of Kosovo 25 years after liberation, he added that Kosovo is a double success story: the intervention of NATO that stopped the genocide of Serbia, as well as economic growth combined with democratic progress.
“For both of these success stories, at their heart we have the USA, which was our greatest and irreplaceable ally, friend and partner, both for liberation and independence, but also for development and democratization. So thank you to the States the United States of America with which we always share values, interests, principles and common goals” declared Prime Minister Kurti.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla – Schwarz greeted the attendees who had come on Sunday to welcome the delegation from the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. Among other things, she said:
“Just as our precious emigrants knew how to line up behind President Rugova in the fight for freedom and independence, just as we knew how to contribute together to the defense and liberation of the country through the Kosovo Liberation Army, so today we will know how to line up behind the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo which guarantee a progress of our republic, a better future and a determined fight for the truth”.
Meanwhile, in his speech, the Mayor of the City of Waterbury, Paul K. Pernerewski Jr., who counts a community of 12 thousand Albanians, said that the Albanian community in Waterbury is among the largest in America and that they contribute valuable to the social life of the city. He expressed his honor that today the city is welcoming Prime Minister Kurti and on behalf of him and the citizens, he said that he is pleased to give him the Key of the City, as an appreciation for the Prime Minister’s leadership and dedication to promoting international friendship and a symbol that the doors of the city of Waterbury are always open to him.
Further, Senator Richard Blumenthal welcomed Premier Kurti to Connecticut, calling him a person who knows well what it means to fight for freedom and for country, and that he admires his courage and tenacity. He added that all of America will stand by Kosovo, as we face Serbia and Russia. He expressed his desire to visit Kosovo together with other American senators and reconfirmed his support for Kosovo and the Albanian community in America.
As part of the host organization, there was also a cultural-artistic program with traditional songs and dances.
Last modified: September 30, 2024