Istog, 13 April 2026
On the occasion of Martyrs’ Day in the Municipality of Istog, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, paid homage at the memorial complex in the village of Vrellë and presented acknowledgements as part of the “Istogu Trail” event in honor of this day.
Full Speech by Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable Minister of Sport and Youth, Blerim Gashani,
Honourable Director of Culture, Youth and Sport, Era Rexhaj,
Honourable colleagues from the Assembly and the Government,
Dear citizens of this area of wise, generous and patriotic people,
Of this area with extraordinary natural beauty,
I feel honored to stand before you on this day of those who gave everything so that we may live in freedom, develop well and act rightly—namely, on the Day of the Martyrs.
Today’s date, 12 April, is not an ordinary one; it is very special—it marks the anniversary, this year the 27th anniversary, of one of the most glorious battles of the Kosovo Liberation Army, of Brigade 133 “Adrian Krasniqi,” at the foot of the mountain between the villages of Lubozhd and Vrellë. In that battle, the martyrs Abedin Dërvishaj, Bujar Visoqi, Ismet Bicaj, Izet Shatri, Nezir Mujaj, Skënder Maraj, Smajl Fetahaj and Xhafer Mehmetaj fell bravely.
Istog, in honor of this historic day—not only for the municipality but for our entire nation—has now built a tradition of marking it through cultural and sporting events, including the sports race known as “Istogu Trail.”
This activity, which began in 2000 as a small football tournament in honor of the fallen martyr Izet Shatri, precisely on 12 April, Martyrs’ Day of Istog, until four years ago was known as the Memorial Tournament “Izet Shatri.” For the past four years, it has been held as a mountain running event in two disciplines. The first discipline is 13.3 kilometers long—referring to Brigade 133, not 133 but 13.3; if we achieve even 10 percent of what the martyrs did, we will have done a great deal—which symbolizes the number of the KLA brigade named after the martyr Adrian Krasniqi. The second discipline is 32 kilometres, held on the mountain trails of Istog.
On this important day of our glorious history, Istog has combined pride in the past with the health of the future. Through sport and physical activity, we remember those who gave both their spiritual and physical lives for what we value and enjoy today—the freedom of our people in our beloved Republic of Kosovo.
Therefore, congratulations and best wishes to all participants—not only today, but continue to engage in sport as much as you can. Congratulations to the organizers, especially Fikret, and glory to the martyrs of the nation.
