Prishtina, 23 December 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the solemn ceremony of inauguration the first monograph of Prishtina Football Club, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the club’s establishment.
In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized the special importance of this event, to promote not only a monograph book, but also to remember a history full of successes and pride of Prishtina Football Club.
“Football in Kosovo has deep historical roots,” he said, recalling the years after World War I, when the first football clubs in Kosovo began to be created and organized, among which was the Prishtina Football Club, founded in 1922, which once also held the name “Kosova”.
“Back when we did not have and were not allowed to have a representative team for Kosovo, the Prishtina club was our representative,” said Prime Minister Kurti, adding that we remember the most culminating moments of this club in the 1980s, with the golden generation of Prishtina, led by captain Fadil Vokrri and undoubtedly his teammates, a generation that made history by becoming the first club from Kosovo to compete in the First League of the former Yugoslavia in the 1983-1984 season.
On this occasion, the Prime Minister recalled not only the sporting challenges on the green fields, but also the other political and social challenges off the pitch that FC Prishtina had gone through, which he said made Prishtina stronger, staying and competing for five consecutive years in the First League.
After speaking about the difficulties, as well as the continued successes of FC Prishtina, Prime Minister Kurti, among other things, emphasized that even after internationalization and membership into FIFA and UEFA in 2016, Prishtina was among the first teams from Kosovo to represent our country in European competitions.
“This entire history of many successes has today been transformed into a monograph and it is not surprising that that book is so thick, dense with information and with a lot of text,” he said, thanking the author Esad Ejupi for his commitment and dedication with full passion to write such a book that made us remember and not forget the successful sports history in our country, which has been even more than sports.
He also thanked the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for providing the necessary support for this book to be published and all those who contributed in various ways to accomplish this project to be an inspiration for the younger generations.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Honorable Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Faton Peci and Mr. Xhelal Sveçla,
Honorable Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Ms. Daulina Osmani,
The honorable president of honor of FC Prishtina, Remzi Ejupi,
Honorable Members of the Assembly of the Republic, Luan Aliu and Salih Zyba,
Honorable Nait Hasani, initiator and one of the founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army and later a member of the Assembly of the Republic and Kosovo’s ambassador to Albania,
Our esteemed tenor, Kastriot Tusha,
The honorable legend of our boxing sport, Luan Krasniqi,
Honorable Deputy Minister, Blerim Gashani, other colleagues from state, central and local institutions,
Honorable leaders and former leaders of the Prishtina Football Club,
Dear golden generation of Prishtina,
Dear local sports stars,
Dear football players, former footballers, coaches and former coaches,
The esteemed author of the book, Mr. Esat Ejupi,
Our honorable and well-known writer, Nazmi Rrahmani,
Honored guests,
Ladies and gentleman,
Sisters and brothers,
It is a special pleasure to be here with you tonight, to inaugurate not only a monograph book, but also to remember a history full of successes and pride of the Prishtina Football Club.
Football in Kosovo has deep historical roots.
A few years after World War I, the first football clubs in Kosovo began to be created and organized. And among them was the Prishtina Football Club, founded in 1922, which once held the name “Kosova”, as if it was foreseen that it would be a club that would make a name for itself and represent not only Prishtina, but also all Kosovo. Back when we didn’t have and weren’t allowed to have a Kosovo representative team, the Prishtina Football Club was our representative.
We remember the most culminating moments of this club in the 80s, with the golden generation of Prishtina, led by captain Fadil Vokrri and undoubtedly his teammates. This generation made history by becoming the first club from Kosovo to compete in the First League of the former Yugoslavia in the 1983-1984 season.
Joining the federation’s elite league at the time was not only participation, but also a dignified representation of our national and civic values. Because, this sporting upsurge came only three years after the widespread popular demonstrations of 1981, which originated as student protests, when our people expressed their revolt against the oppression and continuous discrimination of the Yugoslav regime of that time.
And during this period, the Prishtina club not only had sporting challenges on the green pitches, but also had many other political and social challenges off the field. On the contrary, this made Prishtina even stronger, staying and competing for five consecutive years in the First League. Head coaches at different times were well-known names like Fuad Muzurović, then the highly respected Ajet Shosholli, and the now deceased, legendary Miroslav “Ćiro” Blažević.
The stadium, which now bears the name of the great Fadil Vokrri, was always full of fans who came to watch the spectacle created by Prishtina. While many who were unable to be present in the stands followed the matches by listening to the commentary with full passion on the radio, envisioning and imagining the magical moves and goals of the white and blue footballers. In the capital’s stadium, with the great support of the fans, any other team was defeated. Famous teams that were winning throughout Europe were defeated when they came to Prishtina.
And the great sports enthusiasm led to the formation of the first organized fan groups in the 80s, such as the “Plisat”, who to this day support the blue and white colors of the capital.
Later, Prishtina continued its brilliance at the level of competitions organized by the Kosovo Football Federation. 11 Super League titles, 11 Super Cups and 8 Kosovo Cups, is the current balance of titles won by Prishtina since 1991 until today, making it hold the title of the most trophy-winning club in our country. Even after internationalization and membership into FIFA and UEFA in 2016, Prishtina was among the first teams from Kosovo to represent our country in European competitions.
This entire history of many successes has today been transformed into a monograph book, and it is not surprising that that book is so thick, dense with information, and with such a volume of text. A popular saying goes, “What is written is not forgotten.” Therefore, I thank you very much Mr. Esad Ejupi for his commitment and dedication with full passion to write such a book that made us remember and not forget the successful sports history in our country, which has been even more than sports.
I also thank the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports for providing the necessary support for this book to be published and all those who contributed in various ways to accomplish this project to be an inspiration for the younger generations.
We all know that things neither began with us nor end with us, but we must do the best we can with our abilities and with the generation, with our fellow co-workers of our generation.
I believe with full conviction that football, and our sport in general, will continue to write history and achieve major international successes in the future.
Congratulations and thank you.
Last modified: December 27, 2024