Prishtina, 30 April, 2024
In honor of the life, work and contribution to the state of Kosovo, the Memorial Academy was held today for the activity and former deputy of the Assembly of Kosovo, Ali Lajçi.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, took part in this event, which took place in the premises of the Palace of Youth.
Remembering his patriotic activity and commitment over a period of over 45 years, including as a deputy of the Republic of Kosovo and mayor of the Municipality of Peja, Prime Minister Kurti said that Ali Lajçi entered the political history of Kosovo in ’81, from a great gate of our history and with a high calling.
“From him we have learned how to care for the land of the motherland with work that protects, with commitment that protects without sparing and without rest”, said Prime Minister Kurti, among other things.
In commemoration of the activity of Ali Lajci, the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, also spoke, who said that Ali Lajci will be remembered for his multidimensional contribution to the people and to our country, and for his unconditional love for the people of Kosovo and for the Albanian nation.
In this memorial Academy, his son Ngadnjim Lajçi also spoke on behalf of the family, who started his speech by thanking those present who participated in this event in honor of his father. He said that his father was a person whose works will keep him alive with pride in our hearts and minds, an inspiration not only for the family.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear Mrs. Fiqerie, dear Ngadhnjim, Arbëresha e Gent,
Dear family members of Ali Lajqi,
Dear collaborators, colleagues, friends of Mr.Ali,
Dear attendees, saddened by the death of Ali Lajçi,
Ladies and gentleman,
Sisters and brothers,
Our history is built on names and dates. History is naturally made up of names of actors and dates of events. In the secret of history lies the event that produces the event. There are no orphan events. Every event belongs to people, made by people. But also, the event creates the people and the issues.
It seems that we as a people know this secret of the dynamics of history. The events of 1981 are a political node because they gave a new potential to our society and people. The way the student protests were organized and then turned into popular demonstrations is an expression of our own chastity and right.
Albanians have known well at all times, Albanians have said it well through every voice, that they cannot enjoy anything less than equality and the Republic. Equality for people and equality for institutions. This is the republic.
Even Ali, the deputy of the Republic, activist of the Movement, the mayor of the Municipality, entered the political history of Kosovo in the year ’81. So he entered through a great gate of our history and with a loud call.
At that time, we were a divided, truncated, discriminated and exploited province. It was time to raise the slogan “we do not share our rights”. So the punishments took the most brutal form. Thus the young Ali was locked up according to the old motto of the Serbian-Yugoslav government: for Albanians, the best Republic is prison. This is where the Serbo-Yugoslav power was wrong. We do not connect because each generation realizes its own node event. And we inherit each other’s events within us. So, the system cannot punish Ali Lajci just once. As one of the organizers of the 1981 demonstrations, he was sentenced by the Yugoslav regime to 15 years in prison. He was released from prison in 1991, but was arrested again in 1993 for his involvement in armed resistance organizations. Once from Serbia as Yugoslavia, and then from Yugoslavia as Serbia before the liberation of Kosovo.
Think about how many there are who have been convicted twice or thrice. They were arrested on one date, but in freedom, the approach of another date awaited them, another generation awaited them, a new level and form of organization awaited them. So Ali Lajqi participated quite naturally in the permanent dialectic of Kosovo’s history.
At liberty, Ali Lajçi was elected Mayor of the Municipality of Peja. As a deputy of the Assembly of Kosovo, he was also one of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence of Kosovo, on February 17, 2008, and for the Republic, we worked together with Ali Lajçi, especially when he was a deputy of the VETËVENDOSJE! Movement. Especially in opposition to the change of the border with Montenegro, which was taking away 82 square kilometers from us in the name of demarcation. From him we have learned how to care for the soil of the motherland with work that protects, with commitment that preserves sparingly and without rest.
We will remember him for his patriotic activity and commitment over a period of over 45 years. His life was dedicated to the long and proud path of uplifting the people and liberating Kosovo.
Therefore, in these heavy and sorrowful days, I hope that your pride, the pride of all of us with Ali’s grandmother, overcomes our pain for him.
Rest in peace Ali Lajqi! Always in our memories!
Last modified: May 2, 2024