Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa participated in the Memorial Ceremony of the 17th anniversary of the assassination of former Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi.
In the Academy participated also the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, Minister of the Kosovo Security Force, Haki Demolli, other Ministers of the Government of Kosovo, family, comrades, and academic personalities and citizens of Kosovo.
Full speech of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa in the Academy
Honourable President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga,
Honourable family of Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi and his associates,
Honourable Ministers, Honourable Minister of KSF,
Members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo
Close associates of Ahmet,
Honourable families of the heroes and martyrs of Kosovo
Representatives of the Republic of Kosovo institutions, media representatives,
Honourable Ambassador of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Minxhozi
We are gathered here today to commemorate Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, the first Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kosovo, the man who worked with his whole being for the freedom and independence of our country.
Flambeau of the family of patriotic tradition, proved in the fight against the occupiers of Kosovo. Ahmet Krasniqi was born on 15 th January ’48, in the village Zhilivode of Vushtri. He completed the primary education in his hometown, and the Technical High School in Pristina, during the period 1964-69.
He was a close associate of patriot Metush Krasniqi, and active participant in the 1968 student demonstrations in Pristina. After finishing high school, he was registered in the Land Army Military Academy in Belgrade, where he stood out as one of the most skilled cadets. He graduated with high success, in record time, between the years 1969-73. Afterwards, he continued his studies at the Headquarters Academy Command, which he completed with success in 1983.
When the institutions of Kosovo have been established in the 90s, Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi put all his professional and intellectual potential in the service of Kosovo. He was involved with the whole being for the unification of Kosovo political and military, with the aim of achieving the best possible results on the ground, in front of the struggle for freedom of the country.
At the same time, being a career officer he was aware and respected legal institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, of which was assigned as a Minister of Defence and General Commander of the Armed Forces. For these high responsibilities Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, also received the approval of the Historical President Dr. Ibrahim Rugova. Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi was in charge of the military organization, gathering around him all officers and patriots dedicated for the liberation of Kosovo, and to build a democratic and independent state. But, at top of these powerful organizations, when the structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic was taking a shape, enemy hand stealthily dimmed his life in Tirana, capital of Albania, on 21 September 1998, causing a colossal damage to our struggle for freedom and independence.
Dear participants of this Memorial Academy,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the murder of Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, former President of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Fatmir Sejdiu, for the merits and extraordinary courage, decorated Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, with the highest order, “Hero of Kosovo”.
Whereas, on 16 February 2015, on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of the independence of Kosovo, President of the Republic of Albania, Bujar Nishani, honoring personalities for outstanding contribution to the struggle for liberation and independence, decorated Aziz Zhilivoda, and the flambeau of his family, “Hero of Kosovo”, Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi with the decoration “Gjergj Kastrioti”.
Like today 12 years ago, in a commemorating ceremony on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the murder of Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, President Ibrahim Rugova, in his speech stated inter alia:
“Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi, with his rare abilities, made a good organization of the Ministry and the Armed Forces, which made a major contribution to the final liberation of Kosovo, which was held with the highest commitment of the United States, NATO and the European Union.
Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi worked with devotion and dedication in the establishment and strengthening of the Kosovo Protection Force, within the legal institutions of our country. With his military culture, Colonel Krasniqi worked on creating an army of powerful defensive skills and discipline, what should be a country, therefore we express our honour to him.
Colonel Krasniqi was a prudent man, and brave military man. In life was a wise man, and filled his life with interest, passion for literature and art. Today proudly we say that Colonel Krasniqi was one of the heroes of Kosovo, therefore for his merits for the freedom and independence, soon will be decorated by the President of Kosovo, “said President Rugova at that time.
Devotion, discipline and professionalism in work, wisdom, prudence and passion in the art of literature, are the qualities that distinguish the image of unforgettable Ahmet Krasniqi, who did not work to put himself above, but in contrary, he worked and sacrificed his live, for the good of the homeland, freedom and independence of Kosovo.
His skills and knowledge of military, Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi ennobled with a passion for beauty, for artistic creations. And from this perspective, he remains special. His example in this regard may have “hero of Kosovo,” Agim Ramadani, who also was sacrificed in the midst of the struggle for freedom of the country, who left behind the rich creativity in painting and poetry.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear fellow citizens,
The murder of Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi planned and carried out by the enemies of the Republic of Kosovo and the Albanian people. Like originators, as the perpetrator and the perpetrators who committed this terrible act, they are enemies of peace, humanity and the enemies of freedom.
As such, they should be found and prosecuted, because not shedding light on this murder is very ugly stain on justice and society in general.
As a member of the Government in Exile and Minister of Finance, I had the opportunity to work closely with Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi. He was a wise man, a clever man, a man focused and worried, and full of ideal for his country.
Man who did not succumb, even during the worst moments for him and his family. He gathered around him all, radiated desire and willingness to for the war to be joint because he saw no other winners from the war, except Kosovo and its people.
Unfortunately, it is in my memory, when was the last time I met Ahmet, killed in Medrese road in front of the house where he lived in Tirana, where criminals had committed the assassination attempt on him.
And I still cannot lose confidence that the Albanian state will shed light on who killed Ahmet Krasniqi, who killed his ideal to his fight for Kosovo. Meanwhile, we remain to fulfil our commitment to bury the remains of Ahmet Krasniqi in Pristina, the capital of the Republic of Kosovo for which he was engaged and was sacrificed.
Dear participants,
Professionalism of Ahmet Krasniqi, proved vision of a purely military strategist, recognizing and acting by respecting the hierarchy of the legitimate institutions of Republic of Kosovo, may have been perhaps the only reason that Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi to be marked as the target of bullets of those who hinder the freedom and independence of Kosovo. Throughout our history, dark hand has always targeted exactly the greatest men of the nation, men of highest national ideas and ideals by eliminating them at peak performance and political activity of their homeland.Therefore we affirm that Colonel Ahmet Krasniqi joins constellation along with brightest personalities our national history, who unfortunately suffered the same fate suffered by criminal ambushes by ambushes of darkness, as Hasan Prishtina, Luigj Gurakuqi, Isa Boletini, Çerçiz Topulli later Azem Hajdari, Enver Maloku, Xhemajl Mustafa Ismet Raci, Smajl Hajdaraj, Uke Bytyci, Tahir Zemaj, and many others.
Resolution of these killings that were very dangerous for our nation is a debt to them that we owe not only because they were killed unjustly and wickedly, but we owe to justice and peace which we are building in Kosovo.
Our nation unfortunately inherited many wounds, many tragedies committed also in peacetime, thus bringing to justice the orderers and the perpetrators of these cowardly and anti-national acts is the duty and priority of the institutions responsible for the rule of law in Kosovo.
As the Government of the Republic of Kosovo will always give the necessary assistance within the powers and responsibilities that we have, with the laws in force, always respecting the separation of powers under which the institutions of justice, prosecutors and courts are completely independent to exercise their activity. Let us believe that justice will one day be put in place so that all the family members, friends, co-workers who have lost loved ones, our associates, to have to at least like satisfaction, the victory of justice over evil , the triumph of the light over darkness.
God bless Ahmet Krasniqi!
God bless his family!
God bless the Republic of Kosovo and her friends!
Thank you!