The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Fatmir Sejdiu, decorated the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Dr. Sali Berisha, with the Golden Medal of Freedom.
We are forwarding you the contents of the speech that President Sejdiu held during the award ceremony:
Honorable Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo, Jakup Krasniqi,
Honorable Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi,
Dear members of Parliament and ministers,
Honorable Messrs. Feith and Kermabo,
Honorable ambassadors,
Representatives of international institutions and diplomatic missions in Kosovo,
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the people and institutions of Republic of Kosovo, allow me to wish a warm welcome to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha, who has undoubtedly played a historic role in the changes and great achievements that were made over the last two decades in Albania and in the entire region.
Honorable Prime Minister Berisha,
From the bottom of their hearts, the citizens and institutions of Republic of Kosovo thank You for the unreserved and unremitting support that You, the government and the people of Albania have provided to Kosovo, even during the darkest moments of our history.
The Republic of Albania was always a well-articulated voice of support to the legitimate aspirations of the people of Kosovo for freedom, independence and democracy. Even nowadays, the state of Albania remains strongly committed to supporting the Republic of Kosovo.
This commitment is being expressed anywhere and everywhere Albania is given a chance to speak about Kosovo and its inalienable right to be free and independent.
Honorable Prime Minister Berisha,
To date, the Republic of Kosovo has been recognized by 62 sovereign and democratic countries of the world. We are working on increasing this number for we are resolved to conclude the irreversible process of our integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions successfully.
By renewing our commitment to providing full guarantees of freedom and rights to every citizen, regardless of their ethnic and religious background, we reaffirm that Kosovo is and shall forever remain a factor of peace, stability and a prosperous future for the entire region.
Dear citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Prime Minister Sali Berisha has proven himself to be a visionary and an unswerving leader in facing multiple challenges. He succeeded in integrating Albania into Euro-Atlantic institutions and played a decisive role in enormous changes that were made in Albania over the last two decades.
Under his leadership as a President and Prime Minister, but as an opposition leader as well, Albania managed to break itself loose from an isolation that lasted for years and to join the free and democratic world. It is an extraordinary pleasure for us to be able to say today that the Republic of Albania is a member of NATO, on the right track towards getting integrated into the European Union and achieving, day by day, incontestable results in its economic growth.
The inauguration of Durrës-Morinë Highway, an earlier idea given by President Rugova, is one of Berisha Government’s greatest achievements, because, by making “the nation’s road” a reality, it has provided new opportunities to our countries to cooperate and come closer to each other.
Therefore, given all his personal qualities and merits as a political leader and statesman and pursuant to the authority vested in me, as a President, by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, I have decided to confer the Golden Medal of Freedom upon Prime Minister Berisha.
God Bless the Republic of Albania!
God Bless the Republic of Kosovo!
God Bless our friends!
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