Prishtina, 2 May, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the solemn session of the Assembly of Kosovo, organized in honor and commemoration of the martyr and commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Ilaz Kodra, and the 315 martyrs and martyrs who fell for the freedom of Kosovo, on 30 April 1999, in Drenica.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Honorable President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu,
Honorable Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Glauk Konjufca,
Dear members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Government of Kosovo,
Dear families of the heroes of Kosovo,
Dear Kodra family,
Dear Bunjaku family,
Dear Konushevci family,
Dear Ambassador of the Republic of Albania,
Dear diplomats and international friends,
Dear families of the martyrs,
Disabled and veterans of the Liberation War,
Dear leaders and representatives of our state institutions,
Dear citizens of Kosovo,
Ladies and gentleman,
Special sessions like this one, outside the regular work and progress of the Assembly of Kosovo, refresh the spirit that created our Republic, and that are the martyrs of the nation and the martyrs of the freedom of Kosovo.
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, today, May 2, 2024, we have gathered in the Assembly of Kosovo to commemorate and honor 315 martyrs and martyrs who fell for the freedom of Kosovo 25 years ago, on April 30, 1999, in Drenica. To remember the indomitable freedom fighter, Ilaz Kodra, fellow fighter of Adem Jashari and one of the first armed groups that laid the foundations on which the Kosovo Liberation Army was built.
We are remembering him today, one day before his birthday when he would have turned 58 years old, since Ilaz Kodra was born on May 3, 1966 in Prekaz. Ilaz Kodra became politically active since his early youth, participating in popular demonstrations in 1981, 1988, 1989 and 1990, against the political oppression and discrimination of Albanians by the government of Serbia under Yugoslavia.
In November 1991, Ilaz Kodra, together with Fadil Kodra, Adem Jashar, Murat Jashar and Sahit Jashari, joined the second group of volunteers who were trained militarily in Albania by Albanian army officers. At that time, Ilazi was 25 years old. After their return to Prekaz, when the Serbian police carried out the first attack on Shaban Jashari’s family in Prekaz, on December 30, 1991, Ilazi was among those who, together with his friends, resisted with weapons that day.
Especially after that time, the Kodra family house became one of the early bases of the armed groups that grew and raised the Kosovo Liberation Army. Actions and activities were discussed and organized by Ilaz Kodra, Zenun Kodra, Fadil Kodra, Adem Jashari, Hamëz Jashari, Sahit Jashari, Musa Jashari, Rexhep Selimi, Sulejman Selimi, Nuredin Lushtaku, Sami Lushtaku, Fehmi Lladrovci, Ramiz Lladrovci, Shaban Shala, Gani Koci and other fighters of the armed liberation groups of Drenica.
In 1993, Ilazi and his friends carried out a successful action against the police in Drenas, and shortly after, he left for exile in Germany. There, Ilazi continued his commitment among the organizations of the Albanian diaspora, with gatherings and other activities. On May 6, 1997, he faced the Serbian soldiers at the border crossing from Albania to Kosovo, in the armed confrontation where Luan Haradinaj was killed.
In July 1997, together with Abedin Rexha, Ilaz Kodra finally returned from Germany to Kosovo. In the following months during the second half of 1997, Ilaz Kodra was maximally engaged in the organization of the Kosovo Liberation Army. After the resistance and the fall of Adem Jashari in March 1998, the KLA units would face the offensives of the Serbian army and police that during the summer of 1998 tried to completely extinguish the KLA.
After the fall of Fehmi Lladrovci, Ilaz Kodra took command of Brigade 114, at the head of which on November 8, 1998 in the village of Shkabaj, right next to the grave of Fehmi Lladrovci, he led the oath of the soldiers of the First Battalion of Brigade 114. In these time, in an interview for a German television, Ilaz Kodra expressed himself clearly and decisively with these words:
“We fight to expel the Serbian occupier from our lands. The Albanian people must decide their own destiny. If all other diplomatic methods fail, we will act with other methods for the liberation of Kosovo. We will fight because we are in our country and this is where we will die. Life is more precious and there is nothing more precious than life, but only freedom is more precious than life. And we are able to give our lives for freedom.”
The following months and the consequences of the war in Kosovo gave justice and truth to these words of Ilaz Kodra. On April 30, 1999, numerous Serbian military and police forces surrounded thousands of residents sheltering in the villages of Vërboc and Shtutica. Ilaz Kodra, together with other fighters of Brigade 114 “Fehmi Lladrovci”, positioned themselves in defense of the civilian population and fought bravely against such unequal odds against the Serbian enemy forces. From 5 am to 4 pm, Serbian forces relentlessly shelled those parts of Drenica, killing a total of 315 people. Among them, that day, around 16:00, Commander Ilaz Kodra, Commander of Brigade 114 “Fehmi Lladrovci”, was killed while fighting.
The memory of Ilaz Kodra will be permanent and his place in the modern history of Kosovo will be honored. So be proud of Ilaz Kodra, Mrs. Kimete, wife of the hero Ilaz Kodra; Ilazi’s daughters, Sumeja and Krenare Kodra; brother Avni and aunt Rexhep Kodra. Because beyond the family and in addition to the family and relatives, the pride and honors for Ilaz Kodra, starting from his living comrades-in-arms, have been joined by all the citizens of Kosovo and the entire Albanian nation.
Glory to Ilaz Kodra, glory to the martyrs of Brigade 114 “Fehmi Lladrovci” of the Kosovo Liberation Army, glory to all 315 who fell for the freedom of Kosovo on April 30, 1999. Let us remember them forever!
Thank you.
Last modified: May 3, 2024