Suhareke, 17 December 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, this evening attended the event organized to mark the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit,” (Balkan Orphans) held at the “Uke Bytyqi” House of Culture in the city of Suhareka.
Prime Minister Kurti was warmly welcomed there by the chairman of the association, Halil Kastrati.
“Poverty and economic hardships are major challenges in many communities, while the state holds the primary responsibility to ensure the well-being of its citizens. Nonetheless, organizations like ‘Jetimat e Ballkanit’ play a very important role in meeting the needs of those who are most affected,” he stated.
He also highlighted the government’s cooperation with the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit” in several municipalities across Kosovo, which continues to expand into numerous projects, including the construction of around 200 houses together in northern Kosovo.
The event organized by the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit” was attended not only by Prime Minister Kurti but also by other members of the government cabinet, deputies from the Assembly of Kosovo, ambassadors, and representatives from civil society organizations.
The Prime Minister extended his congratulations on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the founding of the association and expressed his deep gratitude to the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit”.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Distinguished Mr. Halil Kastrati, Chairman of the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit”,
Distinguished representatives of the executive branch in our country, colleagues from the Government,
Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, and Deputy Ministers,
Distinguished Members of the Assembly of Kosovo,
Mayors of Municipalities in our country,
Honored members of our emblematic Jashari family, Bekim and Besarta Jashari,
Your Excellencies, ambassadors, and other diplomats from friendly countries accredited in the Republic of Kosovo,
Distinguished leaders and representatives of the Islamic Community of Kosovo and the Catholic Church in our country, Mufti Naim Ternava and Don Mikel Sopi,
Distinguished representatives of central and local institutions and civil society organizations,
Honored guests,
Ladies and gentleman,
Sisters and brothers,
Halil Kastrati and the organization “Jetimat e Ballkanit” have served and continue to serve as a window of opportunity for many in need, even when darkness seems insurmountable.
Poverty, though not a natural disaster, often unfairly strikes children and families, driving them to misery, where their salvation depends on the generosity and goodwill of those who help.
The state can sometimes be too bureaucratic to intervene quickly where urgent needs arise and where days can be decisive for survival.
During this government mandate, we, as the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, have cooperated with the Charitable Association “Jetimat e Ballkanit” in several municipalities across Kosovo and are continuing to expand this collaboration into numerous projects, including approximately 200 houses we are building together in northern Kosovo.
Poverty is the most severe form of violence when it affects the most vulnerable – those in greatest need – especially children, women, and the elderly.
Honored guests, without helping the poor, one cannot understand poverty. Only by helping does one become aware of the state others have endured, which is evident in every aspect of the assistance provided by any of us. Aid not only helps the needy but also ennobles the giver, as it is a form of charity and a contribution to others.
In this specific case, we have examples of aid that go beyond their immediate focus and develop into broader social sensitivity. For instance, when you supported 62,000 women giving birth for the first time in the Republic of Kosovo with financial assistance and over 400,000 children up to the age of 16 – by providing child allowances directly into mothers’ accounts – over 100,000 women in Kosovo opened a bank account for the first time.
Thus, by helping those who have less, who are poor, exploited, discriminated against, or marginalized, you empower citizens to become more active, which is precisely what “Jetimat e Ballkanit” has achieved. Many citizens in our Republic today are active, working, and engaged precisely because they received that help. In various ways, they contribute to society, which directly and through our state has an obligation to others, to those with the greatest and most urgent needs.
Poverty and economic hardships are major challenges in many communities, while the state holds the primary responsibility to ensure the well-being of its citizens. Nonetheless, organizations like ‘Jetimat e Ballkanit’ play a very important role in meeting the needs of those who are most affected.
Through donations and the engagement of volunteers, “Jetimat e Ballkanit” offers a wide range of services, and by acting quickly and flexibly, they can reach people who are waiting for the hand of benefactors.
Congratulations on the 15th anniversary, and I wish you many more anniversaries with the continuous contribution of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo as your partner.
Thank you!
Last modified: December 23, 2024