Prishtina, 14 April, 2024
On the Memorial Day of the Survivors of Sexual Violence during the Last War in Kosovo, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, paid tribute to the “Heroinat” memorial in Pristina.
Prime Minister Kurti said that the victims and survivors of sexual violence during the last war in Kosovo, women and girls, but also boys and men, have paid a high physical, psychological and emotional price for the state and for our freedom.
As he expressed his promise that the state institutions are at the top of their duty to protect this category, he also appealed to the citizens for their support, since there has been no lack of stigma against them for 25 years.
Together with Mrs. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman and Mrs. Shyrete Tahiri Sulimani, the Prime Minister called for more social support and commitment to justice.
“Vasfija and Shyretja are examples for the whole society and our nation, of breaking the silence about a monstrous crime, which was a weapon of war, within the genocidal project of Serbia against the Albanian people of Kosovo”, he said.
“There are over 20 thousand women and girls, men and boys, who were raped during the war and it is part of the genocide that we have experienced from Serbia,” he said, as he expressed his humility and gratitude for the center, to Marte Tunaj and all victims of sexual violence who no longer live.
Honors were also paid by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Saranda Bogujevci, Deputy Prime Minister Donika Gërvalla, Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Arbërie Nagavci, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hajrulla Çeku, Chairperson of the Government Commission for the Recognition and Verification of the Status of Persons Raped during the War, Leonora Selmani, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo and member of the government cabinet.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
We are here on this Memorial Day for the survivors of sexual violence during the last war in Kosovo, women and girls, but also boys and men, about 20 thousand in total. Everyone has paid a high physical, mental, emotional price for the state and for our freedom. Just as Vasfija and Shyhretja also called, we never forget them, but we also engage and call for justice.
Vasfija and Shyhretja are examples for the whole society and our nation, of breaking the silence about a monstrous crime, which was a weapon of war, within the genocidal project of Serbia against the Albanian people of Kosovo.
The Ministry of Justice, our Government, me as Prime Minister, the Assembly of the Republic, the President, the mechanisms and institutions of the state are at the top of their duties, so that we can help and support this category with everything we can and know. But at the same time we also invite the citizens, we call on all people in Kosovo to support this category, which has, as they say, “salt in the wound” due to the stigmatization that has happened to it during these 25 years.
You said that the crime committed by Serbia was not enough, stigmatization of these persons, survivors of sexual violence, followed. Therefore, we call on the citizens to contribute against stigmatization and that all those who have suffered it, who are also victims, take the example of Shyrete Tahiri Suliman, take the example of Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, take the example of Marte Tunaj, who is no longer alive, and who was also a victim of sexual rape during the war, and to break the silence. Because what happened to these people did not happen to them because of their special names or individual characteristics, but because they were Albanians, they wanted to live in their land, free.
The institutions will support, but at the same time us too, not only as officials, but as citizens as a society must constantly fight stigmatization and call for justice, which of course has the responsibility of the State Prosecutor’s Office and the judiciary.
There are over 20 thousand women and girls, men and boys, who were raped during the war and it is part of the genocide that we have experienced from Serbia.
Marte Tunaj and all those women who were raped and who after 25 years are no longer alive, they have our gratitude and our humility for their pain and endurance.
Last modified: April 16, 2024