Podujeva, 28 March 2024
On the 25th anniversary of the massacre carried out in Podujevë by the Serbian unit “Scorpions”, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, paid tribute to the cemeteries of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families.
As the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families were united, the prime minister said that we are also united today in memory and in honor of their fall for the land of Kosovo and for the freedom of the people.
“They remind us and recall how high the price of the state and freedom that we enjoy today was, how the roots of the state and freedom are in the blood of martyrs and the fallen. At the same time, our voice will be more and more powerful, both institutionally and as a citizen, for the search for justice”, emphasized the Prime Minister.
Among the survivors of this massacre, the prime minister mentioned Saranda Bogujevci, now an MP and vice-president of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, who, together with other survivors, withstood the barrage of bullets and who today are among the witnesses of the genocide of Serbia in Kosovo.
Emphasizing the need for institutional justice in Kosovo and in the region, Prime Minister Kurti continued by calling once again on the Prosecutor’s Office in Kosovo to work on pursuing criminals and bringing justice, which would be finalized by putting the cruel killers of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families behind bars.
Similarly expressed himself Enver Duriqi, whose four children, aged 3, 5, 8 and 10, were killed in this massacre, along with his wife and parents.
“A trial has been held, and I would say that they have their own methods, they ignore, they don’t judge, they don’t accept the crimes, but no matter what, we will stand even stronger”, declared Duriqi.
Together with Prime Minister Kurti, present to commemorate the victims of this massacre were the first Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Arbërie Nagavci, Minister of Culture , Youth and Sports, Hajrulla Çeku, Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, Mayor of Podujeva Municipality, Shpejtim Bulliqi, as well as Deputy Ministers and MPs of the Assembly of Kosovo.
The complete statement of Prime Minister Kurti to the Bogujevci and Llugaliu families:
The Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families were together, but we are also united today in memory and in honor of their death for the land of Kosovo and for the freedom of the people.
They remind us and remind us how high was the price of the state and freedom, which we enjoy today, how the roots of the state and freedom are in the blood of martyrs and martyrs, but at the same time our voice will be more and more powerful as institutional as well as citizen in search of justice.
Seven women and seven children were killed. The children were from 2 years old to 15 years old and, on this occasion, a judicial process was held in Serbia, where several members of the notorious “Scorpion” unit were convicted, who also committed murders in the Srebrenica massacre, in the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. and those, sentenced to a maximum of 20 years, without remorse, when they have served two-thirds of the sentence, are released. Their leader, Sasha Cvjetan, was arrested in December 2022 in Athens, Greece, as the head of a drug cartel there.
This shows how war criminals and organized crime, in peace are closely related to each other, but we need institutional justice in Kosovo, but also in the region, since the largest number of criminals continue to be exponents of organized crime and they are known to no longer be in Kosovo. But, we once again call on the state prosecutor’s office to do more so that these cruel killers of the Bogujevci, Duriqi and Llugaliu families are behind bars, because there were many more executors and those who gave orders of this genocidal criminal expedition than who have faced the legal process, where, as it is known in Serbia, there was no justice for these families.
Thanks to various humanitarian organizations such as that of Natasha Kandić in Serbia, Serbia has been forced to organize a process, however, which has not brought rehabilitation for the victims, has not brought the appropriate punishment for the criminals. Among those who were massacred here was Saranda Bogujevci, who survived 16 bullets, so 25 years ago, the tender body of Saranda Bogujevci, then a minor, ended up with 16 bullets, and the five who survived this massacre was a true miracle and today they are witnesses of the genocide of Serbia in Kosovo.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full statement at the tributes at the Duriqi family cemetery:
So, Enver’s wife, four children, and both parents were killed, and now he has four children again who have renewed the names of their ancestors from the same family. This shows how life and the people win despite the crimes committed by the enemies of our country who continue to be unpunished and unrepentant. Glory to Albion, Mimoza, Arbër, Dafina, Mrs. Fitnete, and the parents of Enver, Esma and Hamdi, and we will always owe them our care.
Once again, we call on the Prosecutor’s Office to engage so that the killers, both as executors and as order givers, are behind bars as soon as possible. Their glory and memory is never extinguished, just as their blood is never lost.
Last modified: March 28, 2024