Prishtina, 28 October 2014
Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci has organized a reception for Kosovar athletes, on the occasion of admission of Kosovo Olympic Committee in the International Olympic Committee.
In the presence of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Memli Krasniqi, President of Kosovo Olympic Committee, Besim Hasani, and hundreds of culminant athletes, Prime Minister Thaçi has assured Kosovar sportsmen that he will always provide support, until full membership of Kosovo in all international sports organizations
The speech of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci at the reception held on the occasion of the membership of Kosovo Olympic Committee in International Olympic Committee
Good evening everyone
Dear Minister Krasniqi and other ministers,
Dear President of the Olympic Committee of Kosovo sport, Mr Hasani
Dear present
You honourable Athletes
Sport veterans of the Republic of Kosovo, or we can say the Kosovar sports legends
You young athletes
Allow me, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo and in my name, to congratulate you for this remarkable success of our state, of Kosovo sport, the membership of Kosovo in the International Olympic Committee. Congratulations.
Minister Krasniqi and President Hasani mentioned the chronology of commitments, and great sacrifices that the Kosovar sport has experienced to come where it is today, therefore, to join the International Olympic Committee.
I would like to express gratitude and appreciation for each of these athletes for their extraordinary commitment, with whom we are all proud.
Tonight I would like to point out that Kosovo is recognized by 110 international, most powerful countries, but the membership of the Kosovo Olympic Committee in International Olympic Committee, is a kind of Kosovo membership in the United Nations Organization because the Kosovar sport has been recognized by the whole world.
Now, there is even greater commitment awaiting us.
Two years ago, in 2012, together with the President Jahjaga, we were at the London 2012 Olympics, where was also present the Kosovar and Albanian Olympic symbol , Majlinda Kelmendi.
At that time Majlinda symbolized the state of Kosovo, there was the anthem and the flag of Kosovo. At that time we discussed for further steps.
At that time I promised Majlinda and tonight, I promise you all that we will have the honor to be together again like in London in 2012, also in Rio in 2016.
Of course, at that time, I had an advice for Majlinda after the battle she held on that evening, which was not easy for her, but proud of the state of Kosovo, for Kosovo citizens, for her trainer, and for the president and for me as prime minister of Kosovo.
And my advice was that “when you start to win Majlinda, you will not stop ‘. I told her that I speak from my political experience, that when we started to win elections we did not stop. Therefore, we won the election and we will be in Rio 2016.
Now, for us as institutions of the country, as the Kosovar sport , remains to work even more, particularly for Kosovo to join the UEFA, FIFA and the FIBA.
I congratulate and praise Mr. Vokrri for his extraordinary work , and I assure you that you will always have my personal support and the support of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.
Congratulations! Wish you great success!
Thank you very much.
