Prishtina and Podujeva, 31 January 2026
Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, today during the day paid homage in memory and honor of the fall of Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha.
He began the homages in Prishtina, where together with the President of the country, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu, with colleagues from the Government and the Assembly and with activists of the national cause, fighters and former political prisoners, they placed fresh flowers at the statue of the Hero of the Nation, Zahir Pajaziti, in the capital, in the “Zahir Pajaziti” square. From there, he continued with homages at the Tower of Zahir Pajaziti in Orllan of Podujeva, then at the “Hakif Zejnullahu” complex in Lladoc and finally at the Boulevard of the city of Podujeva “4 dëshmorët” (“4 Martyrs”).
“Zahir Pajaziti had intense activity like few others. He was an indomitable fighter all his life and at the same time a guerrilla with very successful actions. Together with Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha, in January 1997, he was killed in an ambush by Serbian forces because it was not possible otherwise. The enemy forces of Serbia were so terrified by Zahir Pajaziti that only the trap, the ambush, the interception could give the occupying forces chances to eliminate Zahir Pajaziti.
He said that the fall of Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha, gave an extraordinary impetus to popular self-confidence, but also to the increase of the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
“In every January we commemorate them, we remember them, in order to remind and commemorate to ourselves the high price we have paid for the state we have and the freedom we enjoy, but at the same time also to express our commitment to the highest state responsibilities we have, and that we will continue on the path of the martyrs and heroes of the nation, whose blood is in the foundations of the Republic of Kosovo,” the Prime Minister stated.
Glory to Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu, Edmond Hoxha and all the martyrs of the Albanian nation!
Prime Minister Kurti’s statement after the homages at the Monument of Zahir Pajaziti in Prishtina:
Together with the President of Kosovo and the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, with colleagues from the Government and the Assembly and with activists from the Movement, with activists of the national cause, with fighters and former political prisoners, today we placed fresh flowers here at the monument of Zahir Pajaziti in the capital, in the square that bears his name.
Zahir Pajaziti had intense activity like few others. He was an indomitable fighter all his life and at the same time a guerrilla with very successful actions.
Together with Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha, in January 1997, he was killed in an ambush by Serbian forces because it was not possible otherwise. The enemy forces of Serbia were so terrified by Zahir Pajaziti that only the trap, the ambush, the interception could give the occupying forces chances to eliminate Zahir Pajaziti.
Their fall gave an extraordinary impetus to popular self-confidence, but also to the increase of the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Just as we cannot learn and understand our more recent history without the Kosovo Liberation Army, similarly we cannot understand and learn about the Kosovo Liberation Army without the extraordinary figure of Commander Zahir Pajaziti.
In every January we commemorate them, we remember them, in order to remind and commemorate to ourselves the high price we have paid for the state we have and the freedom we enjoy, but at the same time also to express our commitment to the highest state responsibilities we have, and that we will continue on the path of the martyrs and heroes of the nation, whose blood is in the foundations of the Republic of Kosovo.
Glory to Zahir, Hakif, Edmond and all the martyrs of the Albanian nation!
