Prishtina, 25 October, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, today participated in the reception organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, marking the National Day of the Czech Republic.
As the keynote speaker, Prime Minister Kurti said that it is a great pleasure to celebrate the National Day of the Czech Republic, a country which remains one of our closest partners and a staunch ally of the Republic of Kosovo. Gratitude was especially expressed for the support of the Czech Republic in our efforts towards the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, while the Czech Republic this year marked two decades of membership in the EU and a quarter of a century in NATO.
“The Czech Republic remains one of our closest partners and a staunch ally of the people of Kosovo. I deeply appreciate the strong and friendly relations between our two countries. I am pleased to see our bilateral and multilateral cooperation getting stronger and stronger through increased diplomatic and economic interactions, as well as exchanges between our people”, said the Prime Minister.
In his speech, he singled out the visa liberalization process for Kosovo, which, after a long period, received a final and positive epilogue during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Another positive development during the last year in terms of relations between Kosovo and the Czech Republic, Prime Minister Kurti underlined the diplomatic representation through ambassadors with full rights in both countries, which reflects the positive direction in the development of bilateral relations.
In the end, Prime Minister Kurti repeated his heartfelt wishes for continued prosperity and well-being for the people and government of the Czech Republic, while calling for further cooperation for peace, freedom and solidarity.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Your excellency, Mr. Bohumil Mazanek, Ambassador of the Czech Republic in the Republic of Kosova,
Honourable minister and deputy ministers,
Honourable ambassadors, chiefs of missions, chargé d’affaires,
Honourable ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to address you today on the occasion of the National Day of the Czech Republic, October 28th – the day that marks the anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918 and symbolizes the Czech nation’s journey towards independence and unity. Although the country exists today differently than it did when it declared independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it was one of the first parliamentary democracies in Europe—a legacy that continues to inform the robust democracy the country currently enjoys. The declaration made in Wenceslas Square in Prague remains a powerful symbol of independence and sovereignty.
Countries are sustained by the ideals that gave them birth. The values and leadership of Tomáš Masaryk, who was celebrated for his humanism and ethics, set the tone for the Republic. Czechia has led revolutions in arts and science, in politics and poetry. It preserved its literature and freethought through decades of persecution and purging of intellectuals and thinkers, including the works of Prague native Franz Kafka, whose writings were finally republished in 1989 after nearly five decades of Communist ban.
This year Czech Republic marked its two decades of membership in the EU and a quarter century in NATO – having been one of the first three Central and Eastern European countries to join the alliance. While Czech people celebrate the impact of being part of these important international organizations, we remain committed to working together and are grateful to the Czech Republic’s support for our Euro-Atlantic path.
Czechia is not only geographically at the heart of Europe, but it is also politically and strategically central to the future of the European Community. This has been proven throughout history and is evident today through the significant support to Ukraine in response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine. In times of critical ammunition shortages—particularly of shells, which could undermine the fate of not only Ukraine but the world—Prague has pioneered a new initiative to address this. This effort has garnered support from countries such as Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The Czech Republic has a long history of countering Russian-led aggression and championing democratic reforms over state control, as exemplified by the notable events of the Prague Spring, when Soviet tanks entered the country in 1968, which remains an important symbol of the struggle for freedom worldwide.
The Czech Republic remains one of our closest partners and a steadfast ally of the people of Kosova. I deeply appreciate the strong and friendly relations between our two countries. I am pleased to see our bilateral and multilateral cooperation growing ever stronger through increased diplomatic, and economic interactions as well as exchanges between our people. For the past year, our diplomatic representation has been conducted by full-fledged ambassadors, reflecting the positive direction in which our relationship is developing. It was also during the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union that Kosova was granted visa liberalization after a prolonged period.
Seventy-one years later from the year we are celebrating, again in Wenceslas Square, Czechia would rally around another chant during the Velvet Revolution: “Havel to the Castle!” A few days later, the former playwright and dissident author would take office as the country’s first post-Communist president, with popularity ratings at 80 percentage.
As President Havel so eloquently and poignantly put it:
I tend to say somewhat poetically that Europe is the “homeland of our homelands”. At the same time, I am convinced that European sovereignty will gradually grow stronger in the future. At what tempo I cannot say. Nor do I know what sort of circuitous route it will take. But I do know that the process of integration must continue, because it is in the fundamental, nay existential, interest of everyone, not just the Europeans.
Let us stand together for peace, freedom and solidarity. And once again, let me extend my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for continued prosperity and wellbeing to the people and the government of the Czech Republic!
Všechno nejlepší! Na zdraví! Congratulations!
Last modified: October 31, 2024