Prishtina, 14 April 2026
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, delivered a speech at the solemn session of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo on the occasion of marking the Memorial Day of Survivors of Sexual Violence of the last war in Kosovo.
Full speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Honourable Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo and Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo,
Honourable Ms. Vasfije Krasniqi and Shyhrete Tahiri, Special Envoys of the President for sexual violence during the war,
Honourable Mr. Ramadan Nishori, survivor and human rights activist,
Honourable heads of Parliamentary Groups in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo,
Honourable Members of Parliament, representatives and leaders of state institutions,
Honourable ambassadors and other diplomats accredited to our Republic,
Honourable representatives of civil society organizations and international organizations,
Honourable Ms. Feride Rushiti, Executive Director of the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Survivors,
Dear survivors of sexual violence during the war,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished attendees,
On the Memorial Day of Survivors of Sexual Violence during the last war in Kosovo, we honor every woman and man, girl and boy, every child who experienced and survived this grave and inhumane crime, this weapon of war used systematically by the occupying forces of Serbia. Today we stand together, with respect and shared pain, and with the pledge that we will never allow this truth to be forgotten.
Today we honor Vasfije Krasniqi and Shyhrete Tahiri, who courageously testified to the truth about the crimes of Serbia in Kosovo. With extraordinary courage, Ramadan Nishori broke the silence and became the first public voice of male survivors of sexual violence during the war. Therefore, this day is also a call to the entire society to support other women and men survivors who continue to face prejudice in seeking the rights that belong to them.
Dear survivors of sexual violence during the war,
The silence and stigma that still weigh on victims of this war crime continue to prevent thousands of survivors from seeking justice and support. This silence must no longer be your burden; it is our responsibility as a society to break it. It is our duty as a state and as a society to provide our full support, with empathy and deep human respect.
In the post-war years, the role of civil society organizations, especially those led by women, was vital. In addition to providing support to survivors, women’s organizations have been partners to institutions and continue to contribute to policymaking that advances transitional justice, reflecting the realities and needs of survivors.
Therefore, to further facilitate the application process for survivors to the Government Commission for the Recognition and Verification of the Status of Victims of Sexual Violence during the War, the Government continues funding for four authorized organizations in this process: the Kosovo Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Survivors, the Centre for the Promotion of Women’s Rights in Drenas, Medica Gjakova, and Medica Kosova.
Honourable ladies and gentlemen,
Sexual violence was systematically used by Serbia as a weapon of war in Kosovo during 1998–1999. After 23 years of impunity, in July 2021, a step toward justice was marked with the first conviction of war criminal Zoran Vukotić for sexual violence against an Albanian woman in Vushtrri. In recent years, the number of trials and convictions for these war crimes has increased, crimes which neither expire nor can be pardoned.
The amendments we have made together to the Criminal Code of Kosovo enable trials in absentia for war crimes. Nevertheless, the number of convictions remains low and disproportionate to the scale and depth of sexual violence crimes during the war. These crimes affect not only survivors and their families but leave deep consequences that are transmitted as ongoing intergenerational trauma.
While Kosovo honours the victims of war crimes, Serbia continues to serve as a refuge for hiding perpetrators and denying crimes. Today, our Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo honours the victims of sexual violence used as a weapon of war, while the Assembly of Serbia a few days ago turned into a space for institutional falsification of truth and glorification of units responsible for war crimes in Kosovo. An exhibition was organized there for units of the Yugoslav Army and the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose highest commanders have been convicted of crimes against humanity in Kosovo in 1999, without distancing itself from its criminal past.
Despite the lack of reflection by Serbia, the experience of the Republic of Kosovo in addressing sexual violence during the war is serving as an important example for other countries affected by conflict. In particular, cooperation and exchange of experiences with Ukraine demonstrate that our practices are contributing to supporting and empowering survivors beyond our borders. From the pain of our people, a force is emerging that helps other nations as well.
For the first time since the end of the war, we have adopted and are implementing the Transitional Justice Strategy.
We have begun the process of documenting crimes committed during the war in Kosovo. To ensure gender sensitivity in this process, at its early stage, Ms. Shyhrete Tahiri was engaged at the Institute for War Crimes in Kosovo, who is here with us today.
Also present with us today is Ms. Vasfije Krasniqi, former Member of Parliament of Kosovo and one of the most voted women. These are indicators of growing societal and institutional support. Nevertheless, it is essential that this support does not remain symbolic or concentrated but expands to reach every survivor across Kosovo, ensuring equal access to justice and services.
The Government of Kosovo continuously works to support all categories emerging from our liberation war. To this end, starting from January 2025, we have increased pensions defined by the law on war categories, including victims of sexual violence of the war.
Together, we are strengthening our efforts to support survivors. We will continue on this path, because we must continue together, with unwavering commitment to justice.
Distinguished attendees,
This day is a reminder that we will never allow the pain, suffering, and sacrifice of survivors to be ignored. On this day, we also remember those who are no longer among us, victims of this brutal weapon of war, whose memory obliges us to pursue justice without pause.
As a state and society, we are moving forward, while working to confront the past, with our shared commitment to building a more sensitive, more aware, and more responsible society, honoring the memory of every victim and the sacrifice of our entire people.
Our Kosovo is a state of law and justice. And we are advancing it every day together, with great love and full confidence in our future as a democratic, European republic, as a state governed by the rule of law and development that brings together equality with solidarity, and ensures a dignified life for every citizen.
Thank you!
