Prishtina, 4 April 2024
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Koshare fightings, today took part in the solemn session of the Kosovo Assembly, to honor this battle and its veterans with deserved honours.
In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that the grand panorama of the Battle of Koshare reflects almost the entire Kosovo War in miniature form.
“There we see that in the Battle of Koshare fightings, fighters and units from all KLA operational zones were involved, as well as from all areas inhabited by Albanians; we see them involved with artillery shells and Albanian soldiers of the Kukes Division, while we see in the sky NATO bombers dropping bombs on the positions of the Serbian army, which was then called Yugoslavia of Milosevic” he said.
Before the deputies, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that internal freedom of the people is the essential prerequisite for total liberation from external occupiers, and the most realistic possibility of integral state building. Liberation and the establishment of the state comes from the war cry and battle for freedom.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Your Excellency, Mrs. Vjosa Osmani – Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo,
Honourable Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Glauk Konjufca,
Honourable members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Deputy Prime Minister, Mrs. Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz and Ministers of the Government,
Excellency Ambassadors and and international friends,
Dear families of martyrs, veterans and invalids of the Kosovo Liberation Army,
Honourable leaders and representatives of state institutions,
Dear citizens of Kosovo,
Ladies and gentleman,
Respect for social traditions and the history of the people are two fundamental principles and practices in the culture of modern state-building. There can be no social progress and political vision, on one hand, and democratic state-building on the other, without acknowledging, respecting and institutionalizing the social traditions and history of the people who inhabit, constitute, and sustain the state. Therefore, representative politics and social activism should not be seen as separate from history. The developments of the past – even those from just a few years ago – are now seen as historical processes and are read as history in the present.
This is the fundamental reason why a story from 25 years ago has gathered us here today in the plenary hall of the Kosovo Assembly, in this solemn session on the 25th anniversary of the Battle of Koshare. In the middle of this year, a quarter of a century will have passed since our country Kosovo and its people were liberated from the occupying Serbia and the criminal and terrorist regime of Belgrade. And until mid-June, when we will mark the 25th anniversary of the liberation of Kosovo, there are many dates and events of historical significance, which we will pause to honor and commemorate as appropriate.
Hence, today, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Koshare fightings, let us honour this battle and its veteran fighters with deserved honors. Following preliminary preparations, plans and preliminary arrangements, in the early hours of the morning on 9 April 1999, the KLA soldiers attacked the positions and bases of the Yugoslav army located on the border between Yugoslavia and Albania. Established in 1913, against the political will of the Albanians, the state border between Albania and Yugoslavia unjustly divided the Albanians because it separated them forcibly. Considering this, the struggle to demolish this border was as strategically and operationally important as it was historically and nationally significant.
The Battle of Koshare fightings started on 9 April, and we could say lasted until 10 June 1999. The grand panorama of the history of the Battle of Koshares reflects almost the entire Kosovo War as in a miniature form. There we see that in the Battle of Koshare fightings, fighters and units from all KLA operational zones were involved, as well as from all areas inhabited by Albanians; we see them involved with artillery shells and Albanian soldiers of the Kukes Division, while we see in the sky NATO bombers dropping bombs on the positions of the Serbian army, which was then called Yugoslavia of Milosevic.
Therefore, when we visit the Memorial Complex of the “Battle of Koshare”, among the names of heroes and martyrs, we also find Agim Ramadani from Zhegra of Gjilan, and Sali Çekaj from Broliq of Peja; we find fallen martyrs such as Dukagjin Vula from Gjakova and Bashkim Jasiqi from Jasiq of Deçan; as we find among the martyrs Leonard Palucaj from Klina and Lutfi Musiqi from Vushtrria; also Milazim Mavraj from Staradran of Istog and Mentor Humolli from Lupçi of Podujeva; we find martyr Afrim Gashi from Hajvalia in Prishtina and Afrim Krasniqi from Tërpeza in Malisheva; also Abaz Thaçi from Osdrim of Skenderaj and Gëzim Morina from Arllat of Drenas; we find among the martyrs Florim Maliqi from Sodovina of Ferizaj and Mejdi Korrani from Pozhorani of Viti; we find among the martyrs Emin and Selver Kryeziu from Rogana of Kamenica, as well as Naim Orllati from Brestovc of Rahovec; Xhemshir Islami from Mikushnica of Skenderaj, Abush Lokun from Kutlina of Kaçanik, and also Hysni Temaj from Kuzhnin of Prizren; Afrim Selmanaj from Savrova of Suhareka as well as Abedin Murtezi from Mollopolc of Shtime; martyrs fallen in the Battle of Koshares are also Hasan Latifi from Kumanova and Remzi Xhaferi from Skopje; as well as Bylbyl Breqani from Markaj of Bajram Curri, and Mujdin Aliu from Poroj of Tetovo; and since the Battle of Koshares was a battle of a war for freedom and since freedom is a universal paradigm, in the Battle of Koshares we also find fallen martyrs Francesco Giuseppe Bider from Italy, Pallard Arnold Piere from France, and Murat Muhamed Ali from Algeria. While Russian mercenaries fought alongside the Serbian army in the Battle of Koshare, volunteers from Europe and beyond also fought alongside the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Internal freedom of the people is the essential prerequisite for total liberation from external occupiers, and the most realistic possibility of integral state building. Liberation and the establishment of the state comes from the war cry and battle for freedom.
Therefore, from the Kosovo Assembly today, we express deep gratitude to all freedom fighters who participated in the Battle of Koshare fightings, of whom 380 were wounded.
Glory to the 114 martyrs fallen in the Battle of Koshare and to all martyrs of our nation!
Thank you!
Last modified: April 19, 2024