The President: Today we mark the anniversary of one of the most important days in the history of our nation
The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani together with the Speaker of the Assembly Glauk Konjufca and the Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in honor of June 12th – Liberation Day, paid tribute at the tombs of the historic President Dr. Ibrahim Rugova and activist Adem Demaçi, as well as at the “Adem Jashari” Memorial Complex, in Prekaz. Institutional leaders have also paid tribute to the Memorial Plaque for NATO soldiers. President Osmani said that today we mark the anniversary of one of the most important days in the history of our nation, one of the most important days in the history of the Republic of Kosovo. “Today we mark the anniversary of one of the most important days in the history of our nation, one of the most important days in the history of the Republic of Kosovo, the day our country was liberated, after a war, which resulted in genocide against an innocent people, the people of the Republic of Kosovo”, said President Osmani. President Osmani said that today we honoured those who laid the strong foundations of the state we enjoy today. “This morning we honoured the visionaries of our state, we honoured the martyrs of our state, we honoured those who laid the strong foundations of the state we enjoy today, and now we are here to honour the NATO soldiers, all those who from June 10th onwards entered the Republic of Kosovo to seal the liberation of our country,” said the President. President Osmani also added that we are forever grateful to all those who laid the foundations of our state. “We are forever grateful and we reiterate this gratitude on behalf of all the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, as I said, to the visionaries of the state, President Rugova, all the activists who gave everything to lay these foundations, to the legendary commander Adem Jashari and all the soldiers of the Kosovo Liberation Army who put their lives in danger, gave their lives for our freedom. Also, eternal gratitude to all our friends, who helped us to make freedom, independence and democracy a reality, which all the citizens of Kosovo enjoy today,” said Madam President.
President Osmani’s address at the central event marking the 145th anniversary of the League of Prizren
Honourable President of Albania, Mr. Bajram Begaj, I thank you for joining us today on this great day of the Albanian Nation! Honourable Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Konjufca! Honourable Prime Minister Kurti, Honourable Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo! Representatives of the Municipality of Prizren! Representatives of central and local institutions! Media representatives! Dear citizens of Prizren, the Republic of Kosovo, Albania and the Albanian lands! I am honoured that today I can congratulate to everyone, to all the citizens of the Republic, and all Albanians wherever they are, the 145th anniversary of the League of Prizren, right from the place which in the memory of every Albanian symbolizes the place of the connection our permanent relationship with each other, the place of convergence and unification of Albanians towards a major goal: that of national liberation. The League of Prizren united the Albanians of the then four Albanian vilayets and resoundingly articulated the political stance of the Albanian nation at a difficult moment in our history while the Albanian lands were in danger of being divided between Balkan neighbours, as a result of the decisions of the Treaties of St. Stephan and that of Berlin. Precisely as an attempt to repel these goals, the Albanian patriots, who came from all over and gathered in Prizren, on June 10th 1878, demonstrated a high national awareness: they did not accept that the Albanian lands remain under occupation, but neither to fall prey to devouring neighbours. They sought to revive the state of the Albanians, as a fundamental instrument of national life. Thus, they were putting into practice the lessons left by many Albanians, De Rada first of all, for the renaissance of the nation and for their organization into an independent state unit. The Albanian League of Prizren was also a call for reawakening and national unity at a time when the existence of this ancient nation was being threatened. It expressed clearly not only the determination of the Albanians for an independent state, as an important political instrument for the realization of their aspirations, but also their orientation towards the family and higher western civilizational values. The League, although it was called within the political framework predetermined by the Ottoman Empire, showed high political and state consciousness and turned into a powerful national platform. Thus, it laid the political platform for an independent state of the Albanians, called for a general uprising and motivated the birth of a movement which would complete the process of declaring Albania’s independence. The persistence of patriots like Abdyl Frashëri and Imer Prizreni, their clear vision for the future of the Albanian people and their determination to realize their ideas influenced the Albanians for a state and freedom. Honourable Mr. President, Honourable participants! The League of Prizren, the anniversary of which we are celebrating today, has served as a permanent model by which the entire generations of intellectuals, scholars, writers and politicians have been inspired and by which other unifying projects, of the national- cultural type have originated, such as the one of the 90s for the freedom and independence of Kosovo, which marked the greatest modern project of the Albanians, the typecast of which can be found precisely in the works of our patriots, gathered in this country 145 years ago. The awareness created by the League of Prizren and the definition of western civilizational values have become permanent premises, to which we constantly return and which serve us as a source of inspiration. Dear citizens! In the spirit of the League of Prizren, in just two days we will mark another great achievement of the Albanian people, which is also the result of the spirit of the League of Prizren, of its consciousness, which was taken as a model and turned into a platform for political action: we will be marking the day of the liberation of Kosovo and the correction of a great injustice, which was done to the Albanians of Kosovo, by forcibly putting them under an artificial creation. In the spirit of the League of Prizren, the scholars of that time, led by the founding father of the independent state of Kosovo Dr. Ibrahim Rugova clearly articulated the political vision for an independent state, led the Albanian people towards it, first liberating it internally and then, with the formation of the KLA and its determined struggle for liberation, as well as with the help of NATO and the allied countries, initially led and then empowered by the United States of America, we achieved the complete physical freedom of our country. So, the freedom of Kosovo came through the liberation war of the state of Kosovo, of the people of Kosovo, but also with the unconditional support of the allied countries which we still have by our side today and for which we will always be grateful. But also, as a result of extreme solidarity among the Albanians themselves, the model of which we have found precisely in the values we inherited from the League of Prizren. Similar to the time of the League, we stood in solidarity with each other and proved that freedom is unstoppable when it is the determination of the citizens of a country and when it is the determination of the will of a nation. Congratulations on the anniversary of the League of Prizren! May God bless the League of Prizren! God bless our patriots!
President Osmani received the head of the EULEX Mission Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark in a farewell meeting
The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, received today the head of the EULEX Mission Ambassador Lars-Gunnar Wigemark, in a farewell meeting. President Osmani discussed with Ambassador Wigemark the latest developments in the country and the cooperation of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo with EULEX Mission in overcoming of challenges. President Osmani praised the contribution provided by EULEX to the promotion of the rule of law and emphasized the continued commitment of Kosovo’s institutions in achieving the security goals and the rule of law in all parts of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. During the meeting, President Osmani awarded the EULEX head the presidential medal for rule of law. She emphasized the importance of partnership between Kosovar institutions and international partner organizations that operate in the field of security and rule of law. President Osmani thanked EULEX for their cooperation with the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo in strengthening the rule of law within the existing mandate for advising, mentoring and monitoring. The awarding of the presidential medal for rule of law represents the deep appreciation and gratitude of the Republic of Kosovo to Ambassador Wigemark and EULEX for their steadfast support and cooperation in building a just and safe society in Kosovo.
President Vjosa Osmani’s interview for Reuters on the latest developments in the country and the region
President Osmani’s address at the ceremony bestowing the writer Ismail Kadare with the “Hasan Prishtina” Order
Honourable Mr. Ismail Kadare, welcome to the Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo, welcome to your beloved Kosovo! Honourable Ms. Helena, Honourable Christina, Dear participants, Honourable speaker of the Assembly, Honourable former president Jahjaga, Mayor of the Municipality of Pristina, President of the Academy of Sciences, Honourable Ambassador Minxhozi, Rector of the University of Pristina, Honourable publishers from Pristina, Friends of Albanian literature, language and culture, I thank you very much for your participation here today, where all of us together, in a sign of gratitude – on behalf of the people of Kosovo – honour our outstanding writer, Mr. Ismail Kadare, whose work is an artistic encyclopaedia of the everyday life of Albanians, of their history, customs and traditions, and above all, of the Albanian language. Honourable Mr. Kadare! I am very pleased to see you here, all the more so that you are here at the time when our beloved Prishtina is dressed for the 23rd time in the guise of the book fair, as the already proven host of many authors, publishers and readers from all around the Albanian lands. Your presence at the opening of the Book Fair in Pristina is also a powerful message for Albanian literature and our culture in general. I am also very happy to be able to express today the deep gratitude of all of the citizens of Kosovo and its institutions for the literary masterpieces that you have written, which constitute one of our most important cultural treasures. But, in addition to your literary activity, you have always been an important point of reference for Albanians everywhere in the world. Your literary creativity, developed mainly within the ideological iron circle, has demonstrated that freedom of creation and freedom of thought cannot be controlled by the powers that be, and that freedom, despite the fact that it can be suppressed in public, lives intact in the yearning of people to see their country and people as free. Through your creativity, you honourable Mr. Kadare, set an example to all Albanian citizens – regardless of whether they live in Albania, Kosovo, or elsewhere – whose freedom was suppressed, but also for all citizens of Kosovo in particular, who were denied their national, political and civil rights. By artistically treating an Albanian’s life, his invincibility and their deep-rooted desire for freedom, as well as by defending this freedom in important intellectual forums everywhere around the world, you have encouraged the freedom-loving spirit among us and have articulated it wherever you were given the opportunity to do so. And for that, we are very grateful. My generation, like many generations before and after us, have grown up and been shaped by reading Chronicles in Stone, The General of the Dead Army, The Three Arched Bridge, Broken April, and many other masterpieces of your literature, which are at the same time masterpieces both of Albanian and international literature. You have artistically revealed the life, culture and traditions of Albanians, their customs and their history like no other before. You have cultivated the Albanian language and served it with unyielding dedication, recovering and reusing what the patriarch of our culture, Pjetër Bogdani, called “old woman’s words” and expanding the vocabulary of the Albanian language and its expressive possibilities. You have protected and promoted our ancient culture, the antiquity of the Albanian people and their culture, participating in debates on the role of this ancient culture in the creation of the common European and Western culture, and you have been a guardian of the right of the Albanian people to live free and independent. Hence, with an utmost desire to thank you for the courage with which you have presented the Albanian cause in general and that of Kosovo in particular, at important intellectual and political circles all over Europe and the world, for the endless literary wealth that you have given us and for the immense love with which you have represented the nation all over the globe, allow me to invite you Mr. Kadare, and at the same time I would like to invite all the guests to rise, for the ceremony of your bestowment with the highest order which the Republic of Kosovo, and in this case I, as President, confer on behalf of all the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, the “Hasan Pristina” Order. Once again, I have the extraordinary honour to, in compliance with the constitutional powers of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, on behalf of the people of Kosovo, to bestow upon Mr. Ismail Kadare the “Hasan Prishtina” Order with this motivation: For the exceptional mastery in the art of speech, expressed throughout his works, for the dedication with which he has defended Kosovo’s right to freedom and independence, as well as for the literary and intellectual values which he has presented around the world and through which he has exalted the Albanian language, culture and literature, as well as the Albanian nation itself. Mr. Kadare, I am honoured to bestow upon you this Order!
The President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani received the writer Ismail Kadare and bestowed upon him the “Hasan Prishtina” order.
President Osmani received the letters of credence of the new ambassador of Australia Richard Rodgers
The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, received the letters of credence of the new non-resident ambassador of Australia Richard Rodgers, whom she congratulated on his new tenure and expressed the hope that during his mandate the bilateral relations between our two countries will be further intensified. President Osmani thanked Australia for its unwavering support to Kosovo over the years, emphasizing the importance of continuing further support towards Kosovo’s membership in international organizations and strengthening of our international position. In relation to the current political and security developments, President Osmani emphasized that the institutions of the Republic continue to remain committed to sustainable peace and stability in the region and Europe. In this regard, President Osmani spoke of the importance of cooperation between democratic and peace-loving states in opposing continuous efforts by malicious and undemocratic forces. President Osmani also added that Australia has been and remains a friend and a strategic ally of Kosovo. Madam President agreed with Ambassador Rodger on close coordination towards the opening of new chapters of cooperation, including joint projects for the empowerment of women and girls, and other projects of mutual interest.
The Office of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, part of the fifth high-level meeting on the Agenda for Women, Peace and Security in the USA
The proceedings of the fifth high-level meeting of the Focal Points Network for the Women, Peace and Security Agenda commenced yesterday in Washington DC, USA. President Osmani’s cabinet, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff Ms. Learta Hollaj and Advisor Ms. Dora Musa, reconfirmed the commitment of the Republic of Kosovo towards the advancement of the Agenda for Women, Peace and Security, not only in the Balkan region, but beyond as well. Part of the Kosovar delegation at this meeting were also MP’s Ms. Jeta Statovci and Ms. Albena Reshitaj. Civil society was represented at the meeting through Mrs. Feride Rushiti (KRCT), Mrs. Valmira Rashiti (Kosovo Women’s Network) and Mrs. Kadire Tahiraj (Center for the Promotion of Women’s Rights). The proceedings will continue throughout the week, with a close discussion on the latest developments related to the Agenda for Women, Peace and Security, its future, as well as the identification of opportunities for creating partnerships in the direction of advancing this agenda. Kosovo, on the initiative of President Osmani, will be organising this year the second edition of the international forum for Women, Peace and Security. The advancement of the WPS agenda in Kosovo is being strongly supported by the US, respectively by the Office of the Secretary of State of Global Women’s Issues.
President Osmani received the letters of credence of the new ambassador of Australia Richard Rodgers
The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, received the letters of credence of the new non-resident ambassador of Australia Richard Rodgers, whom she congratulated on his new tenure and expressed the hope that during his mandate the bilateral relations between our two countries will be further intensified. President Osmani thanked Australia for its unwavering support to Kosovo over the years, emphasizing the importance of continuing further support towards Kosovo’s membership in international organizations and strengthening of our international position. In relation to the current political and security developments, President Osmani emphasized that the institutions of the Republic continue to remain committed to sustainable peace and stability in the region and Europe. In this regard, President Osmani spoke of the importance of cooperation between democratic and peace-loving states in opposing continuous efforts by malicious and undemocratic forces. President Osmani also added that Australia has been and remains a friend and a strategic ally of Kosovo. Madam President agreed with Ambassador Rodger on close coordination towards the opening of new chapters of cooperation, including joint projects for the empowerment of women and girls, and other projects of mutual interest.
President Osmani received the US and EU special representatives Gabriel Escobar and Miroslav Lajčák
The President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani received the US Special Representative to Western Balkans Mr. Gabriel Escobar and the EU Special Representative for Dialogue, Mr. Miroslav Lajčák. At the meeting, President Osmani expressed her full commitment to work together with international partners in order for law and order to reign in the northern part of the country and the sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo is preserved. According to President Osmani, penalising the criminal groups and individuals who exercised violence on the police force, journalists, KFOR, EULEX and on citizens, is the only way towards sustainable and long-term stability. Therefore, emphasized Madam President, we expect the law enforcement institutions to do their work, in accordance with the law, in bringing the criminal groups responsible for the violence to justice. President Osmani emphasized that the new elections in the municipalities in the north of the country can be organized in accordance with the current constitutional and legal framework and in this context stated that the democratic participation of the citizens living in these four municipalities should be ensured. At the meeting with the two emissaries, President Osmani also potentiated the importance of strengthening the alliance with the USA and the EU, in fulfilling the common goals for the Euro-Atlantic path and strengthening of Kosovo’s international subjectivity.