Prishtina, 11 April 2013
The following is the full text of the speech of Prime Minister Thaçi:
Honorable Ramadani family,
Honorable Deputy Prime Minister,
Honorable ministers, deputies, officials, KSF commanders, Kosovo Police,
Honorable ambassador of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Lauka,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Honorable co-fighters,
Three days ago we marked the five year anniversary of Constitution Day of the Republic of Kosovo, the highest judicial act of our Republic.
To reach Constitution Day, and the five year anniversary of independence, and the 14 year anniversary of Kosovo’s liberation, our country has passed through a glorious and long history.
It has passed through continual political and civic resistance.
It passed through the glorious Days of the Epopee, and the Battle of Koshare, a struggle of constant resistance for freedom and independence.
The Kosovo Liberation Army is one of the greatest political and military achievements of our nation.
Within its political and military concept the most courageous and aware people worked to liberate Kosovo, and Kosovo’s fighters and liberators were all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, wherever they lived, in Kosovo or in the Diaspora because they all resisted Serbia, wherever they lived, in Kosovo and in the Diaspora, and the Diaspora also raised funds for Kosovo’s liberation and we must always be grateful for that.
For the first time in our nation’s history, the Kosovo liberation Army managed to unite Albanians, to unite Kosovo’s citizens regardless of political, religious and regional differences, it united Albanians in Albania, regardless of political, regional and religious differences, it united the Albanian state and politics, it united all Albanians in Macedonia, Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanovc and in Montenegro, in support of our war.
So, the KLA managed to unite all Albanians for the first time regardless of their differences, behind one goal, one vision – the final liberation of Kosovo.
When Albanians were united, then the international community, the USA, the EU and in the end even NATO, supported the KLA project, the project of Kosovo’s people for freedom and independence.
Within the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army, political and professional unity was created, successfully commanding the operational aspects of the war.
The political and military command structures of the KLA defined, organized, and led a just and clean liberation war.
For the first time in our history, we managed to be the allies of the democratic forces and freedom loving peoples of the world.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, the traditional observation of the “Eagle Days” continues, marking the 14th anniversary of the Koshare Battle.
So today I am proud to be among you, with the brigade commanders and their families.
In these battles, the unity in action of the Kosovo Liberation Army was tested and it entered into the glorious history of Kosovo.
That the Battle of Koshare and the Battle of Shigjeta were the biggest battles for Kosovo, is no coincidence.
Brigade 138 played an important role and it was worthy of this mission, because it was led by the fighters, commanders, idealists and great visionaries like Agim Ramadani, Sali Çekaj and Xhemajl Fetahaj and many other commanders and fighters.
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo I express the greatest institutional and official respect and appreciation for the Kosovo Liberation Army war, its brigades and especially Brigade 138, that today marks this anniversary for its commander, the Hero of Kosovo and of the Nation, Agim Ramadani on the 14th anniversary of his fall in the line of duty, at the head of the liberation struggle.
By honoring the life, contribution and sacrifice of the national hero, Agim Ramadani, we honor today all the martyrs and fighters of Brigade 138.
We honor those who through their struggle made eternal a glorious KLA battle, the battle of Koshare that is a vital part of the operation for the final liberation of Kosovo.
The National Hero, Agim Ramadani played a key role in creating this brigade, in its unity, as well as in planning, implementing and leading the operation to break the Albanian-Albanian border.
Just as his entire life and work was for the unity and unification of political and military forces, his heroic fall was also for this greater goal.
By uniting military and political opinions and actions, Agim Ramadani’s co-fighters achieved his dying wish.
This unification bears the stamp of Agim Ramadani’s name and his blood and without doubt, represents one of the greatest successes of our war for freedom.
Brigade 138 is unique in our struggle, not just because of the large number of fighters who fought in it, but because of the part of the homeland from which they came.
The 114 martyrs of Brigade 138 gave meaning to the days of April, May and June 1999, with their lives and blood.
They truly are and remain the DAYS of EAGLES.
There is no part of Kosovo, or other Albanian areas that didn’t have fighters in this Brigade, from all over Kosovo; they were from our patriotic Diaspora, from Tetova and from Tropoja; from all Albanian areas.
Thus the martyrs who fell in this battle were martyrs from all parts of the homeland and this day is not marked just in Prishtina, but also in Tirana, Tetova, Montenegro, Presheva and the Diaspora.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Honorable Ramadani family,
Agim Ramadani remains the model of a modern and accomplished officer, equipped with knowledge and talent, not just in his professional field.
It was my honor and pleasure to meet Agim Ramadani twice in my life and to talk about art, culture, literature, sport and general national and world events.
Agim Ramadani did not like war, but he said that war in Kosovo was necessary. Without war, there would be no liberation of Kosovo.
No one wanted war, but it was necessary to liberate the country. This is where Agim Ramadani’s importance increases. He was an encyclopedia, whom everyone respected for the values he presented and represented.
He was a man of art and culture, he was a humanist; he was a poet and a painter.
With Agim, you could talk about anything, because he was an affirmative man, an educated man, he was a man who knew the world; he was a man who loved life, but above all, he loved the freedom of his country and his people.
He was a great man of Kosovo, a great man among Albanians.
We will always honor him and remember him as such.
Today, when we remember the hero Agim Ramadani, Kosovo has passed through an important historic period.
Honorable guests,
Kosovo has proven that it deserves freedom and independence.
It has successfully concluded the period of supervised independence, proving to be a story of success and progress.
International recognition has now passed over half of the member states of the United Nations.
In the near future, Kosovo will join NATO, the EU and the UN.
Therefore, the Kosovo of the dreams of its martyrs and heroes continues to be the vision of a generation that today and every day is working toward strengthening, advancing and affirming our free, sovereign and democratic state.
We are aware that as institutions and leaders, we face many challenges and tests.
I feel good that in the end, we have begun and completed the process of applications for KLA war veterans, invalids and families of martyrs.
Up to now, about 57 thousand have applied.
Once again, in this honored Academy, I invite all KLA veterans, wherever they live to apply and all achievements and sacrifices will be institutionally assessed by the state of Kosovo, because veterans, families of martyrs, national heroes, war invalids, sacrificed for the state, for freedom and its sublime value, and we are obliged as the generation that leads Kosovo to do our duty, to institutionalize that value and to affirm the great sacrifice of those people.
Be certain that there is no force that can stop Kosovo’s development, progress, cultivation of freedom, democracy and Euro-Atlantic values.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Praise to the martyrs of Brigade 138!
Praise to the martyrs of the Nation!
Praise to the hero Agim Ramadani!
Last modified: July 31, 2022