Prishtina, 5 May 2016
Organized under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, the Memorial Complex “Baza e parë e UÇK-se” was inaugurated today, in village Lladoc, Podujeva.
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Arban Abrashi, on behalf of the Government of Kosovo, spoke to the attendees about the heroic activity of Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu, Edmond Hoxha and Ilir Konushevci.
At the inauguration of Memorial Complex was also present the President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, Mayor of Podujeva, Agim Veliu and relatives of the martyrs and the fallen for Kosovo.
“The activity and the heroic fall of Zahir, Hakif, Edmond, Ilir and all the others martyrs and fallen at the sacred altar of freedom of the homeland, re-testified to the world that Kosovo Albanians resemble to the phoenix that re-emerges from its ashes and never fails, even when others think they have already undergone them” said the minister.
Minister Abrashi also said that in this special day we honour the family of Hakif Zejnullahu, which gave shelter, bread, salt and hospitality to freedom fighters, to the first members of the KLA in these parts.
“It is exactly in this house where Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and their closest comrades, planned all the actions of KLA, after which regrouped here again, in their safest hearth”, said Minister Abrashi.
Full speech of Minister Abrashi in the ceremony
We are gathered here today in Lladoc of Podujevo to inaugurate the memorial complex “Baza e parë e UÇK-se”, which has also served as the first repository of its weapons. On this special day of our national memory, we honour and thank especially the family of Hakif Zejnullahu, which gave shelter, bread, salt and hospitality to freedom fighters, to the first members of the KLA in these parts. Exactly in this house Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu and their closest comrades, planned all the actions of KLA, after which regrouped here again, in their safest hearth.
As elsewhere in Kosovo, even in Llap the circumstances in which KLA was founded and operated, were outstanding, and the determination and sacrifices of the families who turned their homes into its base, were outstanding as well. This dimension gives unique value to our war for freedom, gives value to the universal humanity, because the war of the Kosovo Albanians for freedom, independence and democracy, in fact, was the war for the triumph of European civilization against the dark national chauvinistic mentality of Milosevic and his regime.
Kosovo had the immortal will of its best people to live free in their own house, in the land of their ancestors, which they loved and protected since it is known for the history of this part of the world.
On this occasion, I want to reiterate that we, Albanians from Kosovo never chose war as a mean to resolve disputes with others, but war was imposed on us because of the unseen oppression and terror towards us, because of the brutality of this oppression, especially in the last decade of the twentieth century, was putting at risk our physical existence. And, as it always has been throughout our tragic and glorious history, in such serious moments when survival of the people itself was in danger, Albanians were able to stand up with courage against tyranny, sacrificing everything for the freedom and well-being of their homeland.
The activity and the heroic fall of Zahir, Hakif, Edmond, Ilir and all the others martyrs and fallen at the sacred altar of freedom of the homeland, re-testified to the world that Kosovo Albanians resemble to the phoenix that re-emerges from its ashes and never fails, even when others think they have already undergone them.
Dear participants,
Dear fellow citizens,
Republic of Kosovo is marking significant results every day in its irreversible path towards the integration into the European family. This year, without a doubt, will be remembered as a year of important news for our country, news which do not come by no means only as a gift from our friends in the European Union and other international institutions, but, first of all, are the result of the work, patience and persuasive perseverance of the people and institutions of Kosovo to fulfil the necessary criteria to be part of this family, from which we were cut off unfairly.
If once our motive was the freedom and independence of Kosovo, today our motivation is work and sacrifice of those who brought freedom and independence of the country. Our debt is an economically developed Kosovo, new work places, youth perspective in their country. For a Kosovo that is equal for all its men and women, regardless of cultural, ethnic or social differences. For an internationally recognized Kosovo, whose image in the world are young men and women who are marking extraordinary successes, and are proudly waving our flag.
Even though a small country, Kosovo is a rare example of secular coexistence between people with different nationalities and faiths. Therefore, we will preserve and cultivate these values decisively because only in this way the sacrifice of those who fell for freedom and independence is achieved for the ideal of a modern European Kosovo.
Finally, to conclude this speech, I want to congratulate you all for the inauguration of this important base of the newest history of Kosovo, with the belief that the memory of the past is an important guide to build the future.
God bless heroes of Kosovo, Zahir Pajaziti, Hakif Zejnullahu, Edmond Hoxha and Ilir Konushevci!
God bless all those who worked and were sacrificed for the freedom and independence of Kosovo!
