Prishtina, 17 February 2026
Your Excellency Ms Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo,
Your Excellency Mr Bajram Begaj, President of the Republic of Albania,
Honourable Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms Albulena Haxhiu,
Honourable Uncle Rifat,
Honourable members of the Assembly of the Republic, of the 10th legislature,
Deputy Prime Minister and ministers of the Government,
Honourable ambassadors and other international friends,
Honourable families of martyrs, invalids and veterans of the KLA,
Leaders and representatives of state institutions, religious clergy,
Dear citizens of the Republic,
Dear attendees,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Eighteen years ago, today’s date was added to our national calendar, alongside 2 March – the Assembly of Lezhe, 5, 6 and 7 March – the heroic battle of the Jashari family, 11 March – the student demonstrations, 10 June – the League of Prizren, 12 June – the liberation of Kosovo, 2 July – the Constitutional Declaration, 7 September – the Constitution of Kacanik, 22 November – the Congress of the Alphabet, and 28 November – Flag Day. This is because on 17 February, with the proclamation of the independence of our Republic, another high milestone was reached in our representation in the Balkans and in Europe.
Today is a day of remembrance for all those men, women and children who sacrificed much and everything for the Republic of Kosovo. The activists and fighters who strove to bring the Republic into being, at least since 1968, may not all have had the same image and vision of what the Republic would be like, but they shared the same desire for freedom. The Republic, first and foremost, is an institution of freedom, an expression of sovereignty, and an instrument for development. Therefore, when it comes to the Republic and sovereignty, we cannot yield, because we cannot compromise on freedom and on development. We recall the unrealised images and visions of the activists and fighters who longed for the Republic, because without their sacrifice we would not have our state, and it is precisely these that inspire and guide us to strengthen it even further.
Today we remember the peaceful resistance of the 1990s, and today we remember the Kosovo Liberation Army. We bow in honour before the martyrs and strive to preserve and elevate our Republic, also in their name. As we commemorate the date of the proclamation of the Republic, we are concerned that leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army and of the Republic of Kosovo are being unjustly accused, because they dared to take up arms for freedom, against century-long oppression and against a genocidal regime. The charges of the Special Prosecution in The Hague for crimes against humanity do not stand. They do not take into account the historical and political context of our liberation war, to which we owe today’s freedom. Crimes against humanity against the Albanian civilian population were committed by Milosevic’s Serbia. Today, the threat of their repetition is Vucic’s Serbia. The equating of the leaders of the KLA with a genocidal regime is untenable and unacceptable to us.
Dear attendees,
The Republic does not yield when it is a matter of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and popular democracy. Democracy is both the source and the expression of Kosovo’s sovereignty, where, besides Albanians, our Constitution recognises Serbs, Turks, Bosniaks, Roma, Ashkali, Egyptians, and Gorani. All are part of the people of Kosovo and participate in democratic elections, in official institutions and in living together, respecting the law and one another’s rights. The most recent democratic elections, after a months-long deadlock in the Assembly, once again demonstrated the value of democracy, of free and fair elections. The Republic is not compelled from outside, by imposition and force, but is built from within through our joint work.
The new Government will continue its commitment to economic development, to strengthening security, and to deepening education and culture. Economy means production and social well-being; security means the protection of public order; education and culture mean intelligence and human capital. Put in a simple formula: we will protect intelligent production. This is how we will consolidate economic growth and be more competitive in the region and beyond, and this will be accompanied by increased social well-being and by enhanced defence capacities of the Kosovo Security Force. Following visa liberalisation with the Schengen Area, the passport of our state is now stronger than ever before. We are ranking ever higher in international listings in terms of security, democracy, rights and freedoms, the rule of law, well-being, the climate for foreign direct investment, and more.
Honorable participants,
When the Ahtisaari Plan was adopted, on the basis of which Kosovo’s independence was proclaimed, the world looked different, and the limitations placed on our right to self-determination were thought to be offset both by Serbia’s European transformation and by the inclusion of our state in the Euro-Atlantic collective system. However, today we see that insecurity in the world has grown, and that the Western bloc needs internal coherence to sustain the security system in Europe and to lead the world towards the values of freedom, democracy, solidarity, equality and, above all, human rights. Changes in the international environment are inevitable and sometimes unpredictable. On the other hand, our northern neighbour Serbia wants only Europe’s euros, while its orientation lies with the Kremlin. Therefore, we need to further strengthen Kosovo’s statehood, democracy, and alliances with Western states, and with those neighbouring states that share the same values and interests as we do. Fortunately, at the Munich Security Conference a few days ago, where I participated as Kosovo’s representative, the United States of America and European states confirmed that Euro-Atlantic values remain the same, the very values we have enshrined in our Constitution.
We are determined to continue on our path of integration into NATO and the European Union, as well as membership in the Council of Europe. We are ready to make the contribution that is ours to make to strengthening and reforming collective security in our region and in Europe, as we have done before. To this end, we will continue to rely on the United States of America, on Germany, on Great Britain, on Turkey, France and Italy, Canada and Japan, just as we will cultivate relations and cooperation with other states as well. We will also cooperate with European states that have not yet recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state, just as we will strive to secure new recognitions for Kosovo around the world, so that we may join international organisations, as befits us as the sovereign and democratic state that we are.
In the Western Balkans region, cooperation with the Republic of Albania remains key, as well as with the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Montenegro, states where parts of the Albanian nation live. The defence alliance with Albania and Croatia is one additional element for democratic regional security and peace, in the face of destabilising factors.
On this day of the proclamation of independence, our citizens enjoy greater protection, democracy and prosperity. Kosovo is not only a new state on the map of Europe, but a trusted partner of democratic countries. Our path remains the same, because it has been shaped by the history of the Albanian nation, the recent history of peaceful movements, the liberation war, democratising processes in Europe, and the will of the people of Kosovo for freedom and well-being. The sacrifice of our people for freedom has been perfect. Our work for the Republic must be just as perfect.
Thank you!
