Prishtina , June 12, 2024
The 25th anniversary of the country’s Liberation was marked today with the parade of units from the Kosovo Security Force and the Kosovo Police in Prishtina ‘s central squares, attended by eminent figures and thousands of citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.
In this extremely important event, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, in his speech said that their parade today fills us with pride and gives us a sense of security.
“Today, the rhythm of your footsteps and the drumming of your boots reminds us of the beating of our hearts, as we watch you with such admiration and respect.. The weapons you hold tightly in your hands, these weapons so diverse and modern, many of which you show us today for the first time, are extensions of your own powerful hands, ever ready to protect the order and law, constitutionality and sovereignty, the territorial integrity of Kosovo, and the dignity of its citizens,” he expressed.
With the sentiments of this special day, the Prime Minister expressed great joy for the significant and rapid progress of the Kosovo Security Force. This, as he said, has been achieved as a result of our joint investments and work, particularly over the last three years, during which the budget for the military has more than doubled; 1852 new soldiers have been recruited, to which 600 more recruits will join this year; investments in armaments have tripled, and now soldiers are equipped with heavy caliber weapons; with thousands of artillery barrels and even Bayraktar drones, to which the American anti-tank missile system “Javelin” will soon be added.
“The Kosovo army has never been bigger than today and better armed and equipped; it has never been more trained and educated in the most prestigious military academies of our Western allied armies. But it has also never been stronger and more ready to protect the territory and sovereignty of our state and the lives of our citizens. Because this is its mission, to protect Kosovo and to develop and advance alongside our allies, to maintain peace and security in the country, in the region, and in the world,” he said.
For this, the Prime Minister stated that it could not be otherwise, because the Kosovo Army has its origins in the Kosovo Liberation Army, which had Adem Jashari at its head as a leader and an example.
“That KLA, which started the liberation war with just a few small personal weapons, but with an unbreakable will, achieved it 25 years ago, together with our allies. Dear soldiers: the legacy of everything that Adem Jashari and the Kosovo Liberation Army represent today is shared among you in the Kosovo Security Force and your and our commander, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, the nephew of Adem and Hamza,” emphasized the Prime Minister.
In his speech, he said he wished that on this important day for our country and our people, this parade of Kosovo soldiers and police officers serves as an impetus to renew our feelings for freedom, which today, exactly on the 25th anniversary of liberation, before the whole world, we proclaim the ethics of our freedom.
Finally, he emphasized that Kosovo’s freedom flows from the continuous and unceasing commitment of all generations before us, who kept the dream of freedom alive and who worked and sacrificed to realize it.
“The freedom of Kosovo came through the blood of the martyrs of freedom and the fallen martyrs for it. Kosovo’s freedom was achieved amidst the suffering of thousands of political prisoners who spent hundreds of years in prisons, led by Adem Demaci. Kosovo’s freedom and the day of its liberation came from the righteous war of the Kosovo Liberation Army, whose Political Representative was indeed Uncle Adem. Kosovo’s freedom came from the help of NATO allied countries, who after bombing Yugoslavia, Serbia, and Milosevic’s Serbia for 78 days, entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999. That day NATO entered Kosovo, while every day we are closer to entering NATO!” said Prime Minister Kurti before congratulating all citizens on the 25th anniversary of liberation and expressing the highest honors for all those who fell for the freedom of Kosovo, whenever and wherever.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Your Excellency, Mrs. Vjosa – Osmani Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo,
Your Excellency, Mr. Bajram Begaj, President of the Republic of Albania,
Dear Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca,
Dear Speaker of the Assembly of Albania, Lendita Nikolla
Honorable Lord George Robertson, former NATO Secretary-General,
Your Excellency, Mr. Stjepan Mesic, former President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey, former President of the Confederation of Switzerland, Mr. Mate Granic, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia,
Honourable, great friend of Kosovo, ambassador William Walker, former head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo,
Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Government and Members of the Assembly of the Republic,
Honorable Commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari,
Honorable Commander of the Iowa Guard, General Stephen Osborn,
Honorable Uncle Rifat, Rifat Jashari,
Honorable invalids and veterans of the Liberation War,
Dear families of the martyrs,
Distinguished ambassadors and international friends,
Honorable soldiers of the Kosovo Security Force and members of the Kosovo Police,
Dear people of the Republic,
Ladies and gentleman,
Honorable attendees,
Thousands of citizens of our country have gathered around the four corners of our capital city Prishtina, to mark the 25th anniversary of the Kosovo liberation. Before them stand us, your current elected representatives, along with dozens of politicians and friends from various generations, engaged both in the liberation day and in the days of freedom that have followed until today. And in front of us, you are the members of the Kosovo Security Force and the Kosovo Police: cadets, soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers.
Your parade here today in the central squares of Prishtina fills us with pride and gives us a sense of security. Today, the rhythm of your footsteps and the drumming of your boots reminds us of the beating of our hearts, as we watch you with such admiration and respect. The weapons you hold tightly in your hands, these weapons so diverse and modern, many of which you show us today for the first time, are extensions of your own powerful hands, ever ready to protect the order and law, constitutionality and sovereignty, the territorial integrity of Kosovo, and the dignity of its citizens.
Dear soldiers and police officers, brothers and sisters, guests, and friends of Kosovo who have joined us honoring this important day we are marking today,
I am very pleased to see with you the great and rapid progress of the Kosovo Security Force. This has been achieved as a result of our many years of joint investments and work, especially over the last three years. This has been achieved thanks to more than doubling of the military budget; the recruitment of 1852 new soldiers, to which this year 600 new recruits will join; the tripling of investments in armaments, from which our soldiers who until recently had only light personal armament, are now equipped with heavy caliber weapons; with thousands of artillery barrels and even with Bayraktar drones, to which the American anti-tank missile system “Javelin” will soon be added.
The Kosovo army has never been bigger than today and better armed and equipped; it has never been more trained and educated in the most prestigious military academies of our Western allied armies. But it has also never been stronger and more ready to protect the territory and sovereignty of our state and the lives of our citizens. Because this is its mission, to protect Kosovo and to develop and advance alongside our allies, to maintain peace and security in the country, in the region, and in the world.
And, my fellow citizens, it could have not been otherwise, because the Kosovo Army has its origins in the Kosovo Liberation Army, which had Adem Jashari at its head as a leader and an example. That KLA, which started the liberation war with just a few small personal weapons, but with an unbreakable will, achieved it 25 years ago, together with our allies. Dear soldiers: the legacy of everything that Adem Jashari and the Kosovo Liberation Army represent today are united into the Kosovo Security Force and in its commander and yours, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari, the nephew of Adem and Hamza.
If we look back right here where we are today in Pristina, on the day of liberation, besides the Serbian armed forces that had started to withdraw from here and from all of Kosovo, we would also see the units of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which descended from the highlands of Gollak and entered Pristina. At their head was precisely Ejup Maqedonci – Uki, who today is at the helm of the Ministry of Defense, the department of the Government of Kosovo that leads our army.
So, dear soldiers, I am addressing you here knowing that as never before, about 1/3 of our army has landed today and is lined up in this parade that begins shortly in “Skenderbeu” Square. The spirit and tradition of the Kosovo Liberation Army not only live alive in our hearts, but it is also placed at the head of the Kosovo army, through the people who emerged from it and among you. Therefore, whenever you wear the military uniform, remind yourself that you are wearing the uniform of the same successor army that dared to dream it, Adem Jashari, and for which he fought and gave his life.
Dear citizens,
I would like that on this very important day for our country and our people, this parade of Kosovo soldiers and police officers serves as an impetus to renew our feelings for freedom. I would like today, exactly on the 25th anniversary of liberation, before the whole world, to proclaim the ethics of our freedom. Kosovo’s freedom flows from the continuous and unceasing commitment of all generations before us, who kept the dream of freedom alive and who worked and sacrificed to realize it. The freedom of Kosovo came through the blood of the martyrs of freedom and the fallen martyrs for it. Kosovo’s freedom was achieved amidst the suffering of thousands of political prisoners who spent hundreds of years in prisons, led by Adem Demaci. Kosovo’s freedom and the day of its liberation came from the righteous war of the Kosovo Liberation Army, whose Political Representative was indeed Uncle Adem. Kosovo’s freedom came from the help of NATO allied countries, who after bombing Yugoslavia, Serbia, and Milosevic’s Serbia for 78 days, entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999. On that day NATO entered Kosovo, and every day we are closer to joining NATO!
Dear citizens,
Honorable attendees,
For a people’s history, nothing is more valuable than the freedom. The very history of a nation is equated with the level of awareness of its members about freedom. Therefore, as we remember the day of Kosovo’s liberation on its 25th anniversary, let us work every day to make our freedom as qualitative as possible and to protect it from any danger or threat. For our beloved homeland and for our precious families; for our glorious history and for our bright future; for our country, for the Republic of Kosovo!
Congratulations on the 25th anniversary of Kosovo’s liberation! Congratulations on a quarter-century lived in freedom. To everyone who fell for the freedom of Kosovo, wherever and whenever, glory and honor forever.
May we have our Kosovo forever free and prosperous!
Thank you and congratulations!
Last modified: June 19, 2024