Mitrovica, 20 February, 2024
“Once the miners laid the foundations of the Republic, now the Republic and the miners together are rebuilding “Trepça”, said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, marking the 35th anniversary of the great strike of the miners of Trepça, a day that marks the glorious history of our Republic.
Connecting this day with the marking of the great holidays that come after Independence Day, the 26th anniversary of the Liberation Army Epic, the 25th anniversary of liberation, the Prime Minister said that remembering the great miners’ strike, we honor the roots of our Republic.
He brought to the memory of the many present, the time when Serbia had started to disturb this piece of Europe, recalling here that it was the miners who first opposed it. “They ordered clearly and powerfully: that our people would not be broken, would not be bitter and would not give up the right to decide their own destiny. On November 17, 1988, the miners of Trepca started their march from the mines to Pristina, to oppose the officials who were surrendering to Serbia”, said Prime Minister Kurti.
“On February 20, 1989, they crowded the horizons of the mine to oppose the removal of autonomy. From noon, when initially the miners of the fourth shift did not go out at all, going on a hunger strike, the word “Trepçe” took on a powerful and political meaning, through which the discriminatory and oppressive policies of Milosevic were denounced. And this continued until the last day of the strike on February 28, during which time 1,300 miners of “Trepça”, stuck on a hunger strike from the pits of the eighth and ninth horizons of the mine, submitted 10 demands, among which, “that the fate of the Albanians in Kosovo and Yugoslavia be examined in the United Nations”, said the Prime Minister.
He said that our miners did not divide or surrender to evil, and with their determination they got the attention of the civilized and democratic world.
Remembering the heroism and sacrifice of the miners who served Kosovo with their sweat and blood, Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that more than 130 miners were martyrs at the forefront of the liberation war and martyrs who did not submit to Serbia’s genocide against our people. “We bow in reverence, for life and weather! 35 years after the strike, our free country is now working diligently to preserve the people’s property and promote development and well-being”, he said.
At the end of the speech, Prime Minister Kurti said that they have supported “Trepça” with funds for capital investments and with working capital, giving around 25 million euros in subsidies over the last three years alone, adding that we are supporting “Trepça” again with the loan of 20 million to invest in new technology that increases production efficiency, raises operational and financial performance, improves working conditions and opens new jobs.
After the ceremony organized to mark this year’s anniversary of the great miners’ strike, Prime Minister Kurti visited the personal exhibition of Mentor Berisha, entitled “Solidarity as Resistance”, curated by Alban Beqiraj, which was held at the entrance of the mine, and also The Crystal Museum of Kosovo “Trepça”.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
The Honorable Deputy Minister of Economy, Getoar Mjeku,
Dear Chief Executive of the company “Trepça”, Bashkim Kurti,
Dear Chairperson of the company’s supervisory board, Rrezarta Pllana,
The Honorable Chairman of the Independent Union of Trepca Miners, Ibrahim Januzi,
Honorable Deputy Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Agon Dobruna,
Honorable members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Mimoza Kusari, Armend Muja, Jeta Statovci, Arjeta Fejza,
The honorable former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, also a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic,
The Honorable Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Mitrovica, Arian Tahiri, former Mayor of the Municipality, Agim Bahtiri and
Dear Mayor of the Northern Municipality of Mitrovica, Erden Atiq,
Dear miners and ex-miners,
Dear attendees,
Ladies and gentleman,
Sisters and brothers,
We are meeting together today on Miner’s Day, this day that marks the glorious history of our Republic. Historians teach us that the spring of the people starts early, without waiting for the date, without waiting for the equinox. Well, February 20, 1989 was a great day of that spring, which we celebrate today with the deepest gratitude.
We mark Miner’s Day in the series of great events, beginning after the Independence Day announced 16 years ago, on the edge of the 26th anniversary of the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army, on the 25th anniversary of the liberation of our dear Kosovo. Remembering the great miners’ strike, we honor the roots of our Republic.
When fascist Serbia started to disturb this part of Europe, the miners were the first to oppose it. They commanded clearly and powerfully: That our people would not be broken, would not be bitter and would not give up the right to decide their own destiny. On November 17, 1988, the miners of Trepca started their march from the mines to Pristina, to oppose the officials who were surrendering to Serbia.
On February 20, 1989, they crowded the horizons of the mine to oppose the removal of autonomy. From noon, when initially the miners of the fourth shift did not go out at all entering a hunger strike, the word “Trepçë” took on a powerful and political meaning, through which the discriminatory and oppressive policies of Milosevic were denounced. And this continued until the last day of the strike on February 28, during which time 1,300 miners of “Trepça”, stuck on a hunger strike from the pits of the eighth and ninth horizons of the mine, submitted 10 demands, among which, “that the fate of the Albanians in Kosovo and Yugoslavia be examined in the United Nations”.
Thus a community of miners, which for years had been exploited by exploiting their work, turned into a collectivity with political awareness and courage, which shook the whole of Yugoslavia. We were all very impressed by the high level of political consciousness of the miners, who even in a serious state of health appealed for blood reconciliation, declaring, I am quoting the statement of that time: “We the miners of Stantërg, who are locked underground for eight days without seeing the light of the sun with his eyes, without eating or drinking, with great joy we heard the news about a humane gesture of the Albanian tradition. It is about the reconciliation of the Haxhi Bytyqi and Sejdi Ramshi families. The appeal of the miners of “Trepça” and all of Kosovo, all the families who have blood among themselves, to reach out like men to each other and reconcile, as the people say, the promise of peace. This had been our food, our light, it had been the biggest support for us”, ends the quote from that statement.
Our miners did not divide or surrender to evil, and with their determination they got the attention of the civilized and democratic world. A European leader since then, President Millan Kuçan of Slovenia, spoke at that time in a large solidarity rally in Ljubljana, I am quoting him: “Trepca mines are protecting the rights of citizens in Kosovo to choose their own leadership”.
Today we remember the heroism and sacrifice of miners who served Kosovo with their sweat and blood. More than 130 miners fell martyrs at the forefront of the liberation war and as martyrs who did not submit to Serbia’s genocide of our people. We bow in reverence, for life and weather! 35 years after the strike, our free country is now working diligently to preserve the people’s property and promote development and prosperity. These are our mission as the Government. In the mine the work of all of us is more difficult, but our mission is possible. “Trepça” has new leadership, dedicated to supporting good work, to overcome difficulties, to catch up, to increase both production and productivity.
We have supported “Trepça” with funds for capital investments and with working capital, 25 million euros of subsidies have been given during these last three years. And, we are supporting “Trepça” again with a loan of 20 million to invest in new technology, which increases production efficiency, raises operational and financial performance, improves working conditions, but also opens new jobs. The Assembly has already approved the Law on the Sovereign Fund, which will be an investment and development institution of the Republic. This law is waiting for the permission of the Court to enter into force, before “Trepça” continues its journey within the Fund, where there is increased capital and where there are new opportunities for development and growth.
We will use our natural resources wisely. “Trepca” and public enterprises will be kept and nurtured as our property, by governing them well and increasing their value. We will develop the mining sector with reasonable economic, technological, social and environmental approaches. Our success is possible together, with our work as a government and your dedication as miners-owners of “Trepça”. Once the miners laid the foundations of the Republic, now the Republic and the miners together are rebuilding “Trepca”. And today coincidentally with the Minator’s birthday is also the birthday of another colleague of ours, who is not here, because he is in the Municipality of Leposaviq, Mayor Lulzim Hetemi, his birthday is the same as the Minator of “Trepça”, that is, on February 20.
Thank you very much for the commitment, work, and contribution you make and give.
Good luck and Happy Miner’s Day everyone!
Last modified: February 21, 2024