Speech by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, at the ceremony of the marking of the 134th anniversary of the Albanian League of Prizren
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we are gathered here in the historic town of Prizren, to mark the 100 year anniversary of Albania’s independence, and to honor the majestic event of the Albanian nation in the 19th century, the 134th anniversary of the League of Prizren.
The League of Prizren, created on 10 June 1878, with representatives from all areas, was the most important military and political organization of the Albanian people, created four centuries after the resistance of George Castriota – Skanderbeg.
The League of Prizren was the result and act of a new geopolitical situation brought about by the Eastern Crisis.
By decision of the San Stefano Treaty, after the withdrawal of the Ottoman Empire from the Balkans, most Albanian lands, divided in Ottoman Vilayets, were unjustly given to neighboring states: Serbia, Montenegro and Greece.
At the Congress of Berlin, the historic injustice was deepened when the Great Powers decided, without considering the will of the Albanian people, to implement partition.
In this manner, Albanians were presented with three threats: territorial fragmentation, assimilation and physical extinction.
In this situation, Albanians did not remain inactive.
On 10 June, 1878, representatives of all Albanian areas gathered here in Prizren and created a political, military and executive organization, the Albanian League of Prizren, which would oppose the fragmentation of Albanian lands with all means.
Many uprisings, memoranda sent to the leaders of the chancelleries of the Great Powers, protests and other forms of resistance characterized the period of the League of Prizren, which was extinguished with violence, but not as an idea, inspiration and continuation of the aspiration for freedom.
The Albanian League of Prizren was an internal product of the cultural Movement, the National Renaissance, which, even after its fall, added to its quality and extent.
The Albanian Renaissancists were characters of rare idealism, and in conditions when Albanian lands had no cultural or educational institutions, they established the foundations of national consciousness, overcoming regional or religious differences.
The National Renaissance created awareness of an Albanian national identity, based on shared values of language, culture, tradition and a territorial unit.
As always, today were are grateful for this illuminist and intellectual contribution, to this group of enlightened thinkers who worked with such patriotic determination: Naim and Sami Frashëri, Jeronim De Rada, Gjergj Fishta, Faik Konica and many other writers, who cultivated literature, drafted political tracts, developed the Albanian language, and embraced the Latin alphabet, founded clubs and cultural magazines with the spirit of western values and those of European civilization.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
While in southern parts of Albania, the National Renaissance created a cradle of cultural awareness, (cultural nationalism) in northern areas, the daily confrontation with the annexationist aspirations of neighbors, nurtured awareness and consciousness of statehood (political nationalism).
Thus, it is impossible not to remember and praise highly the central figures of the League of Prizren, its ideologue, Abdyl Frashëri, leader of the Provisional Government, Ymer Prizren, Commander of the League of Prizren army, Sulejman Vokshi and many other patriots, who astutely and with vision faced the threat to the physical survival of our people.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, in Prizren, the historic meaning of three centuries is best synthesized.
The National Renaissance and the Albanian League of Prizren of the 19th century, which added a new dimension to the ideals of the era of Skanderbeg, partially completed Albanian ideals at the start of the 20th century, with the creation of the independent state of Albania, on 28 November 1912.
At the start of the twentieth century, Kosovo became the key centre of continuous uprisings, which led to the creation of Albania’s independence.
At the head of these developments, was the patriot, statesman, intellectual diplomat and famous personality, Hasan Prishtina.
Hasan Prishtina was the initiator, ideologue and coordinator of the uprisings which occurred across Kosovo from Kaçanik, Carraleva, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren, Mitrovica, Drenica, Hoti, Shkodra, and Dibra to Skopje.
He coordinated the uprisings led by Bajram Curri, Isa Boletin, Riza Beu Nexhip Draga and many other patriots.
Hasan Prishtina was the initiator of the program of uprisings, which clearly demonstrated Albanians’ determination to be in charge of their own lands, and which culminated in the declaration of Albania’s independence.
But, in the dramatic developments through which Albanians passed during the First Balkan War, there was a historical paradox: the Albanian territories, including Kosovo and other areas, which had contributed the most to making Albania, were left outside of Albania.
Despite its tragic fate, Kosovo retained its national essence and core.
The men who worked for Albania’s independence continued their resistance with the same idealism for Kosovo’s liberation, giving their lives for the dream and ideal of freedom of Hasan Prishtina, Azem Bejta, Bajram Curri, etc.
Albanians of Kosovo never consented in any historical period to the violent century of occupation by Serbia.
In the twenty first century, Kosovo’s independence corrected the historical injustice toward Albanians made at the start of twentieth century.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On the 134th anniversary of the League of Prizren and the 100 year anniversary of Albania’s independence, Kosovo will end its phase of supervised independence on 2 July, 2012.
Today, when Kosovo and Albania are trying to integrate in the European Union, the historic truth about Albanians one thousand years ago, 134, 100 or 13 years ago, is coming best to light.
Albanians were not a subject or factor who defined their own fate in the San Stefano Treaty, at the Congress of Berlin, at the Conference of Ambassadors, at Versailles, at Yalta and at Dayton.
This shows that a small people, regardless of how ancient, united or freedom loving remained the victim of negotiations, of Great Power projects and alliances, a victim of its neighbors, when it had no internal force, friends or international support.
For the first time in history, Albanians participated, talked and decided at an international conference, at Rambouillet and Paris, 1999.
This representation became possible only when the history of Albanian resistance culminated in the most important political and military project, the Kosovo Liberation Army, an expression of the will and aspirations of Kosovo’s citizens for freedom and independence.
Behind the dream of Kosovo’s freedom and independence was the continual struggle of generations who always had hope, endurance and optimism.
With their resistance and political maturity, Albanians finally created strong friends, whose influence is global.
It was precisely civil and military resistance, and the just political orientation of Albanians of Kosovo, which corrected the historic injustice, and with our war, we won the support of the most democratic states of the world, led by the US, the European Union and other democracies in the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, on the 134th anniversary of the Prizren League and the 100 year anniversary of Albania’s independence, both Kosovo and Albania still have much to do to achieve what thousands and thousands of Albanian patriots gave to build Albania and to build Kosovo.
Regardless of the past and the objectives we have, today we can be proud of the values that unite us and motivate us for our future.
Freedom, the orientation toward the values of the democratic world, the goal of prosperity and integration in the most prestigious institutions in the world is the objective of our two states.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, without hesitation I can say truthfully that never in their history have Albanians been better off.
The 100 year anniversary of Albania’s independence and the five year anniversary of Kosovo’s independence are the best proof that Albanians are a decisive factor in the Balkans and one of the biggest nations.
Historically, geographically and culturally, the Albanian people have always been a European people.
Therefore, Kosovo’s and Albania’s request to join the European Union is a natural goal for our two states.
The state of Kosovo, a state of Albanians and other communities, protects and promotes state, political and cultural interests of all the citizens who live in Kosovo, regardless of nationality, religion or culture.
Kosovo justly declares its legitimate interest in supporting and affirming the national rights of Albanians wherever they live in the region, around the state of Kosovo.
The state of Kosovo greets and supports the affirmation of national and democratic rights of Albanians in Montenegro.
Kosovo welcomes the realization of the political will of Albanians in Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoc for their national and democratic future.
Kosovo expresses its concern at the stalling of Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
The rigidity of institutions there does not mean that Albanians who are being unjustly treated there have no other alternative for their national and Euro-Atlantic future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On the centennial of the Independence of Albania and the five year anniversary of Kosovo’s Independence, we remember with pride the 134 anniversary of the League of Prizren, with the message that the future of Albanians will be bright, as a free people and united in European integration.
Last modified: July 31, 2022