Prishtina, 26 July 2026
Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with Acting President Albulena Haxhiu, paid tribute and laid flowers at the grave of Adem Demaçi, an intellectual and activist for the Albanian national cause, on the eighth anniversary of his passing.
Prime Minister Kurti emphasised that Demaçi was synonymous with perseverance and resistance in opposing the oppressive Yugoslav and Serbian rule over Albanians.
“Adem Demaçi is an example of indomitability and eternity. He grew up, spent 28 years in prison, and continued his life without ever wavering from the path and ideals he had embarked upon. Uncle Adem had understood the dialectic of life because he was not afraid of death. He lived between freedom and prison. He turned suffering into strength, violence forged his resistance, while his work became immortal. He had ‘killed death’,” said the Prime Minister.
Despite spending a total of 28 years in the prisons of the oppressive Yugoslav and Serbian regimes—three years at first, followed by 10 years and, the third time, 15 years—Adem Demaçi remained unbroken, unwavering, tireless, and relentless in his commitment to the national and political interests of Albanians in the former Yugoslavia.
For his unwavering struggle for freedom of thought and expression, as well as for the protection of human rights and freedoms, in 1991 the European Parliament honored Adem Demaçi with the Sakharov Prize. He is often compared with the first recipient of the prize, South African activist Nelson Mandela.
In addition to his activism and extraordinary contribution to the national cause since the 1950s, as well as his rich literary work, Adem Demaçi served as the political representative of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
