Podujeva, 31 January 2026
After the homages in Prishtina, Orllan, Lladoc and Podujeva, the Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, attended the Commemorative Academy “January Trinome”, which was held at the “Avdush Hasani” theater, in Podujeva, on the occasion of the 29th anniversary of the fall of the Hero of the Nation Zahir Pajaziti and his fellow fighters Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha.
Full address by Prime Minister Kurti:
Honorable Pajaziti, Zejnullahu and Hoxha families,
Honorable families of the martyrs of the nation,
Honorable invalids and veterans of the liberation war,
Honorable Mayor of the Municipality of Podujeva, Shpejtim Bulliqi,
Honorable Acting Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci,
Colleagues from the Assembly and the Government of Kosovo,
Representatives and leaders of state institutions,
Officers, soldiers and police officers,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sisters and brothers,
For 29 years, the last day of January each year has been reserved to remember Zahir Pajaziti with his comrades, one of the most distinguished and most special personalities in the war for the liberation of Kosovo. In respect of this now institutionalized tradition, with the highest considerations for the martyrs, as Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, today on 31 January 2026, I am honored to be here in Llap among the families of the martyrs and you their fellow fighters, for homages and this commemorative academy.
This year we are remembering Zahir with his comrades with this commemorative academy here in Podujeva, and next year, which marks the jubilee anniversary, the 30th anniversary, we will honor and elevate them from Prishtina, under the patronage of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo.
Today marks 29 years since the fall of Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha, on 31 January 1997, but what and whom do we truly remember on this occasion? Who were these people and what is their time?
Since the creation of the Albanian state in 1912 and throughout the entire 20th century, the main challenge and objective for Albanians was liberation from Yugoslavia dominated by Serbia and political unification with Albania. In this long period of around eight decades, all those who have engaged for this supreme national and political goal have had two different paths, although complementary to one another.
The path of political engagement, whether within or outside the institutions of the system, as well as the path of armed uprising and the liberation war. On both these paths, the history of us Albanians has recorded events and personalities who, not only with their work but also with their lives, have marked all journeys through them. People who with their total engagements, with their full dedication of themselves in the political and human sense, have committed themselves to the freedom of our common homeland, as the place where every person learns to love the world.
In the act of the decade when the efforts of Albanians for the liberation of Kosovo culminated, in the last ten years of the 20th century, individuals and groups of comrades, organized politically and militarily around the Kosovo Liberation Army, concluded the so difficult and glorious chapter of the war for freedom.
The Llap area, which had been so fertile for illegal organizations, from the Llap Group onwards, gave Kosovo one of the best organized groups of the KLA, the group of Zahir Pajaziti with his comrades, which during the war years multiplied in the Llap Operational Zone.
From the chamber of Sabit Zejnullahu where the meetings of this group took place to this commemorative academy today in the city theater in Podujeva, the boys and girls of Llap have left behind a truly extraordinary history of their efforts and sacrifice for the freedom of Kosovo. (And tomorrow we will also remember Ylfete Humolli on the 36th anniversary of her killing.) The martyrs, such as Zahir, Hakif and Edmond, have testified to this history of ours as a people with their lives, but today, their comrades have the obligation to tell us this story for the history of Kosovo and the generations that will come after us: Selim Haziri, Sejdi Rama, Naim Haziri, Shaip Haziri, Fatmir Humolli, Nazmi Zuka, Hasan Zeneli, Isak Shabani, Rrustem Mustafa, Nazmi Ajeti, Shukri Ismajli, the old man of Shishman, Xheme Jakupi, Avni Ajeti, Ismet Abdullahu, Muharrem Ismajli, Shukri Ismajli, Ramadan Avdiu, Ismail Sejdiu, Naim Hyseni and others, many of whom are still here among us today together.
Therefore, the cultivation and maintenance of this tradition of commemorating them remains key and extremely important. Knowing where we come from, we walk faster and more safely towards where we want to arrive.
Glory to Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and Edmond Hoxha, and glory to all martyrs and heroes fallen for the freedom of Kosovo!
Thank you for your participation and attention.
