President Bajram Begaj received today the first fighters for the liberation of Kosova. They trained in Albania in 1991. Families of martyrs and former military instructors also joined the meeting.

The Head of State praised their courage and sacrifice. He also highlighted the role of Albanian soldiers in political, logistical, and military preparation.

Begaj described them as “people who wrote an important page of the history of the Albanian nation”. He added that the act of 1991 carries historical weight and must be taught in schools.

The President stressed that this sacrifice opened the path toward the war for Kosova’s liberation. He underlined that the deeds of those who dared and sacrificed will never be forgotten.

“The events of October–November 1991 marked the start of the great flame of Kosova’s liberation. The sacrifice began with volunteers who came to train in Albania. It also came from instructors who taught and trained them. They acted without knowing Albania’s fate, when no one imagined that by 1999 we would see a free Kosovo,” Begaj said.

Meanwhile, he honored the martyrs of the group trained in Tirana, including Adem Jashari, Ilaz Kodra, and Sali Çekaj. He assured the participants of his commitment to valuing the work of former fighters.

“You will always have the attention of the President of the Republic of Albania. The KLA will remain in the focus of the Albanian state,” Begaj stated.

In addition, Begaj declared that Albania will remain Kosova’s advocate and defender in every circumstance. He called on Kosovo to show maturity in order to move forward.

“The state of Kosova must do much more for its internal interests. I hope the institutional deadlock over forming new institutions ends soon. Kosova urgently needs this step to present itself internationally as a functioning state. It must also prove itself as a trustworthy partner for those who contributed to Kosovo, especially our strategic partners: the United States of America and the European Union,” Begaj emphasized.

Later, the former fighters shared their memories of those years. They described the suffering caused by torture in Yugoslav prisons and during the KLA war. They expressed gratitude to Albania for its support and for today’s reception at the Presidency.

/a.p./