Tirana, 9 May 2016
Under the patronage of Prime Minister of Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, in Tirana on Monday paid tribute and commemorative ceremony was held on the occasion of the eighteenth anniversary of fall of National Martyrs, Ilir Konushevci and Hazir Mala.
Present at these two event were senior officials of the institutions of Kosovo and Albania, representatives of the Albanian Army and the KSF, comrades of martyrs and citizens of Kosovo and Albania.
On behalf of the Government of Kosovo the participants in the academy addressed the Minister of the Kosovo Security Force, Haki Demolli.
Minister Haki Demolli, spoke about the life and heroic work of Martyrs Ilir Konushevci and Hazir Mala.
Minister Demolli said that the fulfilment of the tasks of war with the highest responsibility, hard work, willingness to sacrifice, and the early fall when front war needed him the most, makes Ilir Konushevci to align with comrades and heroes of the early hours of freedom, such as Adem Jashari, Zahir Pajaziti, Adrian Krasniqi, Luan Haradinaj, Sali Çekaj, Hakif Zejnullahu, and many other brave of the nation.
The Minister also said that the patriot Hazir Malaj, not only was distinguished for his patriotic activity, but at the same time he became a guide for many young and brave warriors as from the Gjakova Highland as well as from all over Albania, who joined KLA and fought bravely alongside the Kosovar brothers.
“The war started by Ilir, Dr Haziri and many other martyrs did not stop until the final victory, i.e. until the complete liberation of Kosovo.
The blood of the martyrs of the nation and the right liberation war , then murder, torture, massacre of civilians by the Serbian military and paramilitary forces, knocked on the conscience of the world, and thus created a common front with the greatest military alliance in the world NATO- which front finally brought freedom of Kosovo. Liberating Kosovo made reality the dream of all our martyrs made the dream a reality, effort and blood of all heroes, fighters, activists and martyrs of freedom, has confirmed the aspirations and desires of many generations of our people, made reality the project of the architect of freedom and independence, our historic President, Ibrahim Rugova.
Now, Republic of Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state, which day by day reinforces state subjectivity, as in the national as well as international aspect, a fact that was proven last week, with a recommendation for visa liberalization and with membership of KFF in UEFA.
So, today we have created a new political, state and national reality by developing and strengthening our national cooperation, like from a nation with two states, continuing our development in the road paved by the blood of national heroes like from Kosovo Albania, Macedonia and the Presevo valley, Montenegro, and wider diaspora, “said Minister Demolli, adding that blood shed by heroes is blood in the foundations of freedom, it is blood to strengthen cooperation.
“Therefore, our people and our countries will be eternally grateful to Ilir, Hazir and all the heroes, martyrs and freedom fighters,” said Minister Demolli.
Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Albania, Petro Koci, recalled 9 May as Europe Day, the day of the victory over fascism and special day for the two martyrs, Ilir Konushevci and Hazir Mala.
“On the other hand I must say that we really have two states, we have two governments, two prime ministers, two defence ministers and KSF, but there is no international convention to separate the martyrs, every martyr of Kosovo is also Albanian martyr and every martyr of Albania is martyr of Kosovo.
Allow me on this special day to remind once again the major role played by Albania in those difficult days. Undoubtedly the main task of Albania has been in political and diplomatic field. Albania had the first word of diplomacy at that time Kosovo and Kosovo only, “Koçi said in his speech.
Kosovo Ambassador to Albania, Ramiz Lladrovci, said that Ilir Konushevci had bound his life and fall with a great work, freedom and independence of Kosovo and the fight for its realization.
“He became one of the glorious founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, fighter with weapons, fighter with mind, fighter, and fighter with all his family. Their sacrifices and risk could not stop the guns of Milosevic regime also. He was killed in a day of May of great year of our fight for freedom, with the patriot and activist, his best and inseparable friend Dr Hazir Malaj. Kosovo and all of us will have a fundamental obligation to honor forever the work of the fallen. Will always bow before the name, work and life of our hero Ilir Konushevci and wise friend, Hazir Mala “, said Ambassador Lladrovci.
The representative of the family of the hero Ilir Konushevci, Arton Konushevci requested that the institutions of Kosovo and Albania do more for the families of martyrs.
“We have remained hostage to this murder; we know nothing, as I said spent 18 years passed. We hope that comrades of Ilir that were very close to him to start doing something about this murder. May the memory of martyrs be unforgettable, “said Konushevci.
The participants in the academy were also greeted by Brigadier General Gëzim Hazrolli, deputy commander of KSF and publicist Virgjil Kule.
Last modified: July 31, 2022