On May 2, 1982, the great Albanian artist Pjetër Gjoka passed away in Tirana. He was born in Ulqin in 1912. Pjetër Gjoka started his activity in the theater in the amateur movement in the 30s in Shkodër. In 1947, he joined the People’s Theater as an actor, after debuting with the Army Theatre. The first role was in the comedy “Tartuffe” of Moliere.  He performed about 90 roles in this theater, dozens of leading roles from world dramaturgy, while he stayed on stage for 52 consecutive years, performing even completely blind. Some of his leading roles are: Haritonov, Shpend Gjeta, The old man, Mac Donald, Miller, Zabelik, Klaudi, King Lear, Gjin, Ali Pasha Gucia, etc. In 1961, he is among the first four actors who were awarded the high title “People’s Artist”. He has also acted in several feature movies, creating accomplished figures. His last role at the National Theater was in the drama “Epoch before the Trial”. In addition to working as an actor, he has staged several parts as a director.

On May 2, 1999, the martyrs of the KLA Fetah Ahmet Gega, Adnan Sherif Bunjaku, Agim Hasan Sadiku, Basri Jemin Hyseni, Faruk Nazmi Beqiri, Feriz Sheremet Thaçi, Avdyl Islam Duçi, Nusret Osman Musa, Xhavit Bajraktari. Xhavit Bajraktari, in addition to his involvement in the war fronts in Anadrin, was also a war reporter for Radio Kosova, Lira and Kosovapress Agency during the war and until his heroic fall.

On May 2, 1999, in the village of Studime in Vushtrri and continuing during that month, the Serbs killed, executed and massacred 140 Albanians of different ages and genders. On May 2 alone, the Serbs killed and massacred 83 Albanians of different ages and genders.

/a.p./