Llashticë, Gjilan, 13 April, 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, after the tributes commemorating the massacre in Studenica, Istog, today also paid tributes in Llashticë, Gjilan. Accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla, the Mayor of Gjilan, Alban Hyseni and members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Prime Minister Kurti laid flowers and held a minute of silence in memory of the killed civilians.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister said that we are here to share the pain and sorrow for these 26 martyrs, and at the same time to express our deep gratitude and thanks for their endurance during these years. He added that we never forget that the roots of the state we have and the freedom we enjoy are in the blood of the nation’s martyrs and martyrs.
The prime minister emphasized that while the forces of Serbia tried to exterminate the Albanian people with genocide, in Llashtica they killed 26 defenseless citizens, innocent civilians, who wanted to live freely on their land and take care of their families.
“A triple murder of all of them took place here, first the execution, then the burning of the corpses and also the razing of the houses with bulldozers as part of the efforts to hide the traces of the crime”, said the Prime Minister. He added that “the criminals from Serbia were so preoccupied with destroying the traces of the crime, with the elimination of the corpses, that they never had a dilemma whether they would kill the Albanians or not, but only how not to find out that these were killed”.
“From the three-week-old baby to the 90-year-old woman, there is no clearer evidence that what happened to us 25 years ago was genocide,” said the prime minister. He called on the prosecutor’s office and the judiciary not to let the time pass and the elderly witnesses die and the material evidence disappear, but to deal urgently with the cases of crimes committed during the war, because the wounds remain open when there is no justice.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
From April 13 to 30, the forces of Serbia, while trying to exterminate the Albanian people with genocide, in your village killed 26 defenseless citizens, innocent civilians, who wanted to live freely on their land and take care of their families. But, a triple murder of all of them took place here, first the execution, then the burning of the corpses and also the razing of the houses with bulldozers as part of the efforts to hide the traces of the crime.
The criminals from Serbia were so preoccupied with the destruction of the traces of the crime, with the elimination of the corpses, that they never had a dilemma whether they would kill the Albanians or not, but only how not to find out that they had been killed.
Despite this, among you there are living witnesses who survived that massacre 25 years ago. Both Driton Murseli and Ymer Hyseni, who remember well what happened 25 years ago, but also know the names and faces of those criminals, explained to me in detail.
Unfortunately, to this day, neither international nor local justice have dealt with these testimonies, which are both testimonies of living witnesses, but also material evidence of this cruel crime.
We are together with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Donika Gërvalla, with the mayor of the Municipality of Gjilan, Alban Hyseni, and with seven deputies of the Assembly of the Republic, to share the pain and sorrow for these 26 martyrs. But at the same time, we express our deep gratitude and thanks for your endurance during these years, emphasizing once again that we never forget that the roots of the state we have and the freedom we enjoy are in the blood of martyrs and martyrs of the nation, whose names are never forgotten, because they are now part of our national history.
Their blood is not wasted because it waters the very tree of freedom, the fruits of which are enjoyed by these children who I wish to have health and success in life, and we will take care of this with everything we can and known as a government good, so that they have education, health, have work and develop in the land of the ancestors which their ancestors never left.
It is very difficult when you pass by this cemetery and see the name Lirim Shabani, a three-week-old baby, or the name Habibe Ramushi, who was 90 years old, Idriz Seferi’s daughter. Next to her is the grave of her daughter, the granddaughter of Idriz Seferi, Rukije Ramushi. So, from a three-week-old baby to a 90-year-old woman. There is no clearer evidence that what happened to us 25 years ago was genocide. The success of the Republic of Kosovo and the entire Albanian nation is, on the one hand, historical justice for our people and for freedom as a universal value, and on the other hand, we always call on the prosecution, the judiciary, so that time does not pass and our elderly witnesses die, the material evidence disappears, but the cases of crimes committed during the war should be dealt with urgently, because the wounds drain since they remain open when there is no justice.
I thank you all once again, each and every one of you. We will always be by your side. Glory to the martyrs and martyrs of Llashtica and the entire Albanian nation!
Last modified: April 16, 2024