Prishtina, October 25, 2025
The acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova, Albin Kurti, participated in the 10th edition of the “Software Freedom Kosova” conference, organized by “Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova” (FLOSSK). The event, which is also known as the largest conference on open technologies in the region, was held at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering (FIEK), at the University of Pristina.
In his speech, the Prime Minister said that the FLOSSK organization has shown that passion, cooperation and civic engagement can bring real and lasting progress.
“Through your work, Kosova has hosted major international conferences such as DebConf and FOSS4G, proving that our country can both organize and contribute meaningfully to the global open-source movement. FLOSSK has also played a key role in improving coverage of Kosova on OpenStreetMap, helping create freely available geographic data that supports better navigation and planning. In one word, FLOSSK has put Kosova on the open source map of the world. Software Freedom Kosova 2025 continues this mission.” said Prime Minister Kurti.
He added that this community represents something greater than technology itself, but also openness, collaboration, and the belief that shared knowledge creates shared progress, an essential spirit for our digital and social future.
“The Government of the Republic of Kosova supports this vision. Open technology, quality education, and cooperation across communities are important enablers of national development. To the young people of Kosova, I encourage them to learn and study, to engage and contribute, and to take part in this global movement. Every contribution you make — whether it’s a line of code, a hardware prototype, a map improvement, or an edit to Wikipedia — helps build a stronger, more connected Kosova.”
Prime Minister Kurti concluded his speech by saying that as we look forward to the era of artificial intelligence, we must ensure that it also speaks Albanian, so that no one is left behind and that our language, culture, and creativity continue to live and grow in the technologies of the future.
Full speech:
Dear Mr. Besfort Guri, President of the board of FLOSSK,
Dear Mr. Isak Shabani, Dean at the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering,
Dear participants, organizers from FLOSSK, local and international guests, speakers, and friends of open technology,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a pleasure to be here with you at the 10th edition of Software Freedom Kosova — the largest open-source conference in our region, which has placed Kosova firmly on the global map of technology and collaboration.
Over the past decade, the FLOSSK – the Community of Free, Libre and Open Source Software of Kosova has shown that passion, cooperation, and civic engagement can bring real and lasting progress.
Through your work, Kosova has hosted major international conferences such as DebConf and FOSS4G, proving that our country can both organize and contribute meaningfully to the global open-source movement.
FLOSSK has also played a key role in improving coverage of Kosova on OpenStreetMap, helping create freely available geographic data that supports better navigation and planning.
In one word, FLOSSK has put Kosova on the open source map of the world.
Software Freedom Kosova 2025 continues this mission. It brings together developers, researchers, students, innovators, and thinkers who believe that knowledge should be shared and technology should serve people.
This conference brings local and international speakers — contributors from communities such as Wikimedia, Arduino, and others — as well as participants from right here in Kosova who are building open-source projects used by thousands around the world. I understand that there are already successful contributors from our country whose work is helping to shape the digital tools and knowledge that people everywhere rely on. Their achievements show that Kosova’s talent and creativity are global in reach.
Open technology is not just about software. Open hardware is equally important — it allows people to understand, modify, and build the devices they use every day. It empowers students, engineers, and creators to learn from each other, to innovate locally, and to make technology that truly serves their communities. Open hardware, like open software, gives us independence, transparency, and the ability to solve problems together.
This community represents something greater than technology itself — it represents openness, collaboration, and the belief that shared knowledge creates shared progress. And this spirit is essential for our digital and social future.
The Government of the Republic of Kosova supports this vision. Open technology, quality education, and cooperation across communities are important enablers of national development.
To the young people of Kosova, I encourage them to learn and study, to engage and contribute, and to take part in this global movement. Every contribution you make — whether it’s a line of code, a hardware prototype, a map improvement, or an edit to Wikipedia — helps build a stronger, more connected Kosova.
And as we look ahead to the era of artificial intelligence, we must ensure that AI also speaks shqip, so that no one is left behind, and that our language, culture, and creativity continue to live and grow in the technologies of the future.
I see a clear role for open source in open government — as a foundation for transparency and better e-services for citizens. By embracing open source, we not only strengthen our own institutions but also learn from and benefit from the experience of trailblazers around the world — standing on the shoulders of those who have advanced openness and digital government globally.
I thank the organizers, FIEK of the Public University of Prishtina, volunteers, local and international speakers, and all participants for your commitment and contribution. I wish you an inspiring and successful conference, filled with new ideas and partnerships that will further strengthen Kosova’s role in the global open-source community.
Thank you!
