Prishtina, 5 March 2026
The Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, within the framework of the state commemorative programme marking the 28th anniversary of the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army, held a solemn session today.
The full speech of Prime Minister Albin Kurti at the solemn session of the Assembly marking the 28th anniversary of the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army:
Honourable President of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms. Vjosa Osmani,
Honourable Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Ms. Albulena Haxhiu,
Honourable Baca Rifat Jashari,
Honourable Jashari family,
Honourable Members of the Assembly of the Republic,
Honourable Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers in the Government of Kosovo,
Honourable ambassadors, diplomats and international friends,
Honourable families of the martyrs, invalids and veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army,
Honourable President Fatmir Sejdiu,
Honourable Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, Petrit Ajeti,
Honourable leaders and representatives of state and local institutions,
Dear citizens of Kosovo,
Ladies and gentlemen,
As in every March, we are here together to commemorate one of the highest acts of our national history, the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army. In those days when the will for freedom confronted the machinery of oppression in Prekaz, history was written with fire and blood. There, the land became an altar of freedom, and one family became a national symbol.
The figure of the legendary Commander-in-Chief Adem Jashari, inseparably linked with the fate of his family and his fellow fighters, became the embodiment of the determination not to accept subjugation. This sacrifice has been immortalized in our collective consciousness and memory as a lasting lesson: that freedom is dearly paid for, that it is a non-negotiable value and an inalienable right.
In the historical course of long political and social efforts for rights, equality and dignity, the turning point in Prekaz clearly articulated the aspiration of the people of Kosovo for liberation from occupying Serbia. The KLA Epic became a call for mobilization, for unity and for the clear articulation of our aim for statehood and independence.
The resistance of the Jashari family of Prekaz, and of all those who stood beside them and followed them on the path to liberation, constitutes a profound political, cultural and national legacy from which the freedom of Kosovo derives and upon which our Republic was built.
The gunshots in Prekaz echoed far and wide, reaching the conscience of international diplomacy.
Those gunshots awakened the entire nation and multiplied the ranks of the fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army, transforming the resistance into an unstoppable movement for freedom.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Honourable participants,
Alongside being a day of honor, today is also a day of reflection on the path we have travelled and the path that lies ahead.
Today, we are a state of a freedom-loving people that has always stood on the side of justice. We are the Republic of a society that builds its future on democracy and the rule of law, on human and civil liberties, and on Western civilizational values.
We honor the sacrifice of the Jasharis while strengthening the Republic every day through honest work and stable institutions. This is the best way to transform memory into responsibility and history into a guide for the future.
Dear citizens,
Through the sacrifice of Prekaz, the boundaries of a single historical event that occurred here in our country 28 years ago have been transcended. It has now become a pledge and a source of hope for our people, a point of reference for future generations, and a subject of study and inspiration for scholars and academics around the world.
By commemorating the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army, we reaffirm our pledge and our commitment to a free, just and progressive Kosovo, grounded in our glorious history and directed toward our bright future.
Glory to the life and heroic work of the Commander-in-Chief Adem Jashari!
Glory to the Jashari family, glory to the just war of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and to all the martyrs and fallen heroes of the nation!
Thank you!
