Prizren, 10 June 2026
The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the commemoration of the 148th anniversary of the Albanian League of Prizren.
At this event of historical significance, Acting Prime Minister Kurti stated that the Albanian League gave existence and resonance to the Albanian political entity and institutionalized it, with Prizren as its seat, specifically within this complex of buildings where the League’s administration was located and where the Provisional Government that emerged from it was later established.
On this occasion, he emphasized that every 10 June, as today, everyone should gather in Prizren to honor and remember the Albanian League and the ideals of the National Renaissance, where the strongest roots of Albanian political thought are found. “By maintaining the tradition of commemorating the anniversaries of the Albanian League, with references to its history, we keep the League alive by strengthening the bridges through which its ideas are transmitted from one generation to the next,” said Acting Prime Minister Kurti.
Following the presentation, the Prime Minister also visited the exhibition entitled “Historical and Cultural Monuments of the Albanian League of Prizren.”
Full Speech of Acting Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Ardian Gola,
Honourable mayors of our municipalities: of Prizren, Shaqir Totaj; of Prishtina, Përparim Rama; of Presheva, Ardita Sinani; of Tetova, Bilall Kasami; and of Bujanoc, Arbër Pajaziti,
Honourable Deputy Commander of the Kosovo Security Force, General Enver Cikaqi,
Honourable Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to Kosovo, Mr. Petrit Malaj,
Honourable Ms. Emilija Rexhepi, President of the Bosniak party NDS,
Honourable Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nora Arapi-Krasniqi,
Honourable President of the Albanian National Council from the Valley, Enkel Rexhepi, and Member of Parliament Shaip Kamberi,
Honourable members of the military and officers of our armed forces,
Honourable Mr. Durim Abdullahu, author and curator of the new exhibition of the Museum of the League of Prizren,
Honourable Mr. Parim Kosova, Director of the Monumental Complex of the Albanian League of Prizren,
Honourable Mr. Samir Hoxha, Director of the Regional Centre for Cultural Heritage in Prizren,
Honourable representatives of religious communities,
Honourable members of the diplomatic corps,
Dear citizens of Prizren,
Honourable guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Brothers and sisters,
Welcome to the League Complex here in Prizren on the occasion of the 148th anniversary of the Albanian League of Prizren. This League Square, where we have gathered today, is not merely a physical space but a place of assembly and deliberation. It is also the most unifying place for all Albanian regions and Albanians everywhere: from Mitrovica and Prishtina to Vlora and Saranda, from Shkodra and Tirana to Presheva and Shkup. Allow me on this occasion also to greet those who have come from Ulqin, such as activist Mehmet Bardhi, and those who have come from Sanxhak. This is because such was the geographical reach and activity of the League, and such remains the reach of the spirit of the Albanian nation.
As I was travelling here to Prizren, I was reflecting on how decisive the political legacy left to us by our predecessors is, and how important the political contribution of our generation will be for those who come after us. Today, for example, I arrived from Vienna, the Austrian capital and one of the historic capitals of political decision-making in Europe. There, as Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, I was warmly received and held a meeting with my counterpart, the Chancellor of Austria, one of the leading states of the European Union and among the earliest supporters of Kosovo.
On my way back, I recalled how, during the time of the League, nearly a century and a half ago, in the spring of 1879, two leaders of that era, Abdyl Frashëri and Mehmet Ali Vrioni, undertook a diplomatic tour of European capitals, including Vienna, to convey the political positions and ideas of Albanians through memoranda and messages. At that time, they could hardly have imagined that a century and a half later, what was then the Kosovo Vilayet would become the Republic of Kosovo, and that its Prime Minister would meet the Chancellor of Austria as representatives of two democratic partner, friendly and allied states.
Today, the Republic of Kosovo covers approximately one-third of the territory once encompassed by the Kosovo Vilayet. Yet the Republic of Austria is likewise much smaller than the Austro-Hungarian Empire that existed at the time.
It is precisely here that history, as an inexhaustible treasure that serves us both as a lesson and as guidance for the future, offers one of the greatest inheritances left by our National Renaissance figures, such as Abdyl Frashëri and his generation. The Albanian League of Prizren was the first political and military organization that gave Albanians a voice in the international political arena. Until then, any political position of Albanians could reach the international sphere only after passing through Istanbul, the Sublime Porte, as the center of the Ottoman Empire. The Albanian League gave existence and resonance to the Albanian political entity and institutionalized it, with Prizren as its seat, specifically within this complex where the League’s administration was based and where the Provisional Government that emerged from it was later established.
Therefore, every 10 June, as we do today, we should all gather in Prizren in honor and remembrance of the Albanian League and the ideals of the National Renaissance, where the strongest roots of Albanian political thought are found. By maintaining the tradition of commemorating the anniversaries of the Albanian League and by drawing upon its history, we keep the League alive and strengthen the bridges through which its ideas are passed from one generation to another.
To strengthen and cultivate this tradition, the Government of Kosovo is investing in the Monumental Complex of the Albanian League of Prizren, in its infrastructure, and in the reconceptualization of the League Museum exhibition. Today, therefore, we will have the pleasure of seeing the presentation of the conceptual design for the museum’s new exhibition. I hope and trust that the Ministry of Culture will ensure its implementation within the next two years, so that by 10 June 2028, on the 150th anniversary of the League, this complex will be renewed and fully functional, with a more modern museum through which we can gain a fuller understanding of the history of the Albanian League of Prizren. In this way, we will make a valuable contribution to local and international researchers and students alike, both at the University of Prishtina and at the University of Prizren “Ukshin Hoti”, whose rector, Mentor Alishani, I am pleased to greet here today.
Our generation and the generations to come, dear participants, have both a roadmap and a guiding torch in maintaining a strong, sincere and serious connection with the ideas of the Albanian League and the ideals of the National Renaissance. Therefore, let us keep the League alive by rereading it through returning to it, and by advancing through our commitment.
Happy anniversary of the League, and may we continue to strengthen our national, political, cultural, social and economic ties in the spirit of the League.
Thank you!
