Honorable Prime Minister Kurti,
Honorable Minister Maqedonci,
Honorable Lieutenant General Jashari,
Honorable military attachés, representatives of NALT, KFOR and international partners,
Honorable Defense Academy personnel,
Dear parents and family members,
And above all, dear cadets of the Class 2026,
Today I have the honor to be among you, on the day when you, the new generation of officers, are graduating from the Defense Academy and entering the service of the Republic.
This day belongs first and foremost to you, cadets of the Class 2026. It belongs to your families, who have closely followed the toil, discipline and expectations of these years. It belongs to the Academy, which formed you, and to the Kosovo Security Force, which today welcomes into its ranks new officers, prepared for great responsibilities.
Dear cadets and from today on, young officers;
with your graduation, an important chapter of your training is concluded and the responsibility of service as officers of the Republic begins. Four years ago, you commenced this journey with dreams, ambitions and determination to serve your homeland.
During these years, you followed the integrated academic and military program, gaining university knowledge and at the same time going through education, training and military formation at the Defense Academy of the Kosovo Security Force.
The formation you received has given you knowledge, discipline and a clear understanding of the responsibility that an officer bears. Modern equipment, technology and new standards have value when placed in the hands of people who know how to judge correctly, remain calm and act with integrity.
The rank will be placed on your shoulders, but its weight will be measured in your character. An officer earns trust through conduct, honesty, care for those entrusted to him, and a willingness to take responsibility even when the decision is difficult. People may respect rank, but they only follow character.
You are graduating at a time when international security is facing new challenges. Conflicts, hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation, and attempts to weaken a state from within remind us that peace is maintained through preparation, vigilance, and strong alliances.
For this reason, your responsibility is much greater, starting with the protection of territorial integrity, state sovereignty, our Constitution, democratic order, freedom, and security of every citizen of the Republic of Kosovo.
Your service begins with the awareness that the Republic is not a gift. It was built on the centuries-old struggle for freedom, on the sacrifice of our people, and on the liberation war of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The heroism of the Legendary Commander Adem Jashari and the sacrifice of the Jashari family remain eternally a symbol of the courage, freedom and determination of our people to live freely. You must serve with pride and humility before the sacrifice of those who made the state possible.
Our new history is also connected to our allies. In the liberation of Kosovo, in building peace, in establishing institutions and in developing defense capacities, Kosovo has had the United States of America, NATO and friendly countries by its side. For this support, the Republic of Kosovo remains grateful.
Maintain the trust of citizens and strengthen cooperation with our allies through the work, discipline and standard that you show every day.
The Kosovo Security Force, together with our Police, are institutions that enjoy the greatest trust of our citizens and this trust is our most precious capital. Preserve and strengthen it further, because trust is earned with professionalism, but it is preserved with the irreplaceable values: loyalty, honesty and integrity.
In this joint celebration, I reiterate that our strategic goal remains unchanged. The Republic of Kosovo belongs to the Euro-Atlantic family and our membership in NATO is a state objective and strategic interest of the Republic of Kosovo.
This goal is related to our security but also to our clear democratic orientation, for peace, rule of law and security. I am convinced that your generation will be among the generations that will bring Kosovo even closer to this historic goal, and I believe that many of you will have the privilege of representing the Republic as officers of the newest NATO member state.
Dear parents and family members,
This day belongs to you as well as to all of us. You have been their support at every step of this journey and for four years, you have shared with them the challenges, the shortcomings, the sacrifices and the joy of every success. On behalf of our institutions, citizens and forces, I thank you for the inspiration and education you have given them, for the values you have passed on to them and for the trust you have had in them. Today, your sons and daughters enter the service of the Republic as young officers, with a duty to the citizens, the defense of the country and peace.
And at the end, dear young officers,
the uniform you wear does not separate you from the citizens. It connects you to them even more. Because every rank in the KSF has meaning only when it is put in the service of the Republic and its people. From today, every decision you make will carry responsibility, every order you give will affect the lives of people, and every action of yours will represent the identity of the Kosovo Security Force and our Republic.
Therefore, always serve with honor, lead with wisdom, act with integrity and always remain faithful to the oath you will take today.
On behalf of the Republic of Kosovo, I congratulate you on your graduation and wish you success in the very noble duty you have chosen.
May your path in the service of the Republic of Kosovo be blessed.
Congratulations Class 2026!
May God bless you, your families, the Republic of Kosovo and all of our citizens.
Thank you!
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