Acting President Haxhiu: On Professor Ukshin Hoti’s birthday, I paid homage at his home turned into a museum, to honor the life and work of one of the brightest minds and most dedicated patriots of our nation
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, on the birthday of Professor Ukshin Hoti, paid homage today at his home turned into a museum, to honor the life and work of one of the brightest minds and most dedicated patriots of our nation. “Professor Ukshin Hoti was the best example of an intellectual who put knowledge at the service of freedom and the general interest. With rare courage, deep wisdom and unwavering dedication, he always stood by the people, defending our right to self-determination and national dignity,” said Acting President Haxhiu. According to her, he understood and clearly articulated that freedom is not given nor is it sought humbly, but you have to act for it. “This idea became an inspiration to entire generations and remains a guide for the traversings of the Republic of Kosovo,” said Acting President Haxhiu.
Acting President Haxhiu participated at the opening of the Book Fair: A Republic that cares for reading, cares for citizen freedom
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, participated today at the opening of the Book Fair. Acting President Haxhiu, in a speech to the participants, said that the Book Fair is one of the rare events when the book comes to the center of public attention. “For several days, there is discussions about publications, about authors, readers, about translations, about the work of publishers and about the people who still cultivate one of the most difficult and necessary works of our culture,” said Acting President Haxhiu. She then thanked all those who made this fair possible and all those who work with the book throughout the year, writers, publishers, translators, editors, librarians, teachers and of course readers. According to Acting President Haxhiu, this kind of work is of particular importance, because a country that places the book in public space, even for a few days, shows that it still recognizes the weight of the written word. “But gratitude for this great work does not absolve us from the responsibility to look at the situation carefully. We must also talk about the place that the book is not any longer taking in our daily lives,” emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu said that reading is one of the first ways in which a person learns to understand the world beyond himself. “A child who reads attentively learns to follow the thought to the end and to distinguish the main idea. He learns to ask questions, to compare, not to rush to conclusions. He learns that not every sentence that sounds certain is true. A citizen who reads understands the news better, understands the law, political promises, contracts, history, official documents and his or her own rights better. He or she has more opportunities to think for themselves, to understand what is said to them and not to remain dependent on others”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. According to Acting President Haxhiu, in Kosovo, as in many countries around the world, reading is facing a decline, change of habits, screen pressure and a pace of life that leaves less and less space for books. “But the fact that this is happening elsewhere does not make the issue any less important for us. On the contrary, it shows us that we need to act in a timely manner but also with prudence. Not by blaming each other, but by accepting that reading requires joint responsibility but also coordinated work. We also feel this as parents, when we see how difficult it is to create a quiet hour for the child, away from the screen and distraction. Teachers feel this, when they work every day with students who must learn not only to read, but also to understand what they read. Publishers, translators, but also authors, who work in a small market, but with great cultural needs, feel this”, affirmed Acting President Haxhiu. Therefore, she added, we need joint and continuous responsibility, because reading is not built in a single place. “It starts in the family, but continues in school, is strengthened in the library, is supported by the municipality, by public institutions, by publishers, by the media and by the very way we organize the cultural life of the country. If we want the book to be more present in the lives of our children and young people, it must meet them earlier. A child does not become a reader only when he is given a list of books for the holidays. He becomes a reader when the book is not presented to him as a burden, but as part of everyday life”, said Acting President Haxhiu. According to Acting President Haxhiu, in particular, we should pay more attention to books for children and young people, where, according to her, the first relationship with reading begins. “The child there understands whether the book is something that speaks to him, or something that is only required of him as a duty. We need books that are well written, well translated, well edited and close to the age, to the language, to the world of the young reader. In this effort, everyone has their part. The parent, the teacher, the library, the municipality, the publisher, the media, the cultural organizations and our own state. When these parts are connected to each other, the book and reading become more present in everyday life”, emphasized U.D. President Haxhiu. She further said that the Fair makes the book visible for a few days, but our task is to make reading present even when there are no fairs. “We are not asking for everyone to read the same books. We are not asking for everyone to become scholars, writers or even critics. We are asking for something more fundamental: for every child in Kosovo to have the opportunity to become a good reader. For every student to understand the text. For every citizen to have the opportunity to better understand the world in which they live and not remain dependent only on what others tell them”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. According to Acting President Haxhiu, a Republic that cares about reading cares about the freedom of the citizen. “Therefore, the opening of this fair should not remain only a congratulatory message to publishers and readers. Let it also be a call for joint, clear but also continuous work,” said Acting President Haxhiu
Acting President Haxhiu Visits the “Exodus ‘99” Museum
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, visited today the “Exodus ‘99” Museum, founded by “Reporting House”, curated by Gazmend Ejupi, at the Prishtina Train Station, a space dedicated to the memory of the mass expulsion of Kosovo Albanians during the spring of 1999. “Located inside a train carriage, this exhibition offers a meaningful experience that contributes to preserving the collective memory and documenting an important chapter of our history. Such initiatives have a special value in educating new generations and honoring the sufferings of those who experienced the events of 1999”, said Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu said that we had the opportunity to see how, through 48 authentic stories of survivors, presented into four main themes, the exhibition brings powerful testimony to the experiences, challenges, and resilience of our citizens during and after the war.
Acting President Haxhiu condoles the Jashari family on the passing away of Sahit Jashari
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, visited the Jashari family in Skenderaj today to express her condolences following the passing away of Sahit Jashari. Acting President Haxhiu said that Sahit Jashari belonged to the generation of people who, during the most difficult days for Kosovo, responded to the call of freedom with courage, dedication and sacrifice. On behalf of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, Acting President Haxhiu expressed her most sincere condolences to the Jashari family, emphasizing that Sahit Jashari will be remembered with honour for his life and activities in service of freedom.
Acting President Haxhiu at the state reception held on the occasion of Liberation Day: Kosovo’s freedom is a shared joy of the entire Albanian nation
Under the patronage of the Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, and the Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, a state reception was held on the occasion of June 12th – Liberation Day, in which, in addition to local personalities, the President of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj, was also present. Acting President Haxhiu, in her address to those present, said that twenty-seven years ago, on June 12th 1999, Kosovo entered a new era of freedom. “After a long period of oppression and after crimes that no generation forgets, the war of the Kosovo Liberation Army and the NATO intervention forced the Serbian machinery of violence to withdraw forever from our country. That day, the occupation ended and the path of a free Kosovo began, which builds its own future with dignity”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. She further added that anyone who experienced that June remembers life returning to Kosovo. “The long lines of people that months ago were leaving the country were now returning home. People were taking to the streets to embrace each other, to look for their relatives, and to start life anew amid burned-down houses, but with their heads held high and with dignity. It was the greatest joy of a nation, mixed with its greatest pain”, expressed Acting President Haxhiu. According to her, that pain did not belong to just one family or just one generation; it belonged to everyone. “Because freedom was won with the blood of the martyrs and fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army, with the sacrifice of the families who gave everything, with the sacrifice of the legendary Commander, Adem Jashari and his family, with the suffering of those who survived and with the resistance of an entire people who did not bow down even in the most difficult days. And this path did not begin in 1998. It passed through the illegality that kept the ideal of freedom alive, paid for with imprisonment and loss of life. Through the resistance of Adem Demaçi, whose 28 years in prison could not break him. Through the demonstrations of 1981, which were started by students and became the voice of the entire nation. And, through the peaceful movement of the 1990s with President Ibrahim Rugova. We bow today with deep respect to every single one of them,” emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. She further added that alongside them, we also remember those who were wounded in silence by the war. “We have some of them among us. The survivors of sexual violence in the war carried an injustice that was not theirs, but the perpetrators of the crime. The Republic honors them and stands by them. We also remember the women of war and the exodus, the freedom fighters and the mothers who kept their families alive in the most difficult days,” said Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu said that our freedom also has friends that we should not forget, and they are among us today. “We thank the North Atlantic Alliance and the countries that intervened to stop Serbia’s genocide in Kosovo, led by the United States of America. We thank Albania, which, during the most difficult year for our people, opened its doors, homes and hearts to hundreds of thousands of displaced people. The presence of the President of Albania, Mr. Bajram Begaj here today, proves what we all know: the freedom of Kosovo is a shared joy of the entire Albanian nation, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu At the conclusion of her address, Acting President Haxhiu said that the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo are now working with the utmost dedication to have an even stronger, even more just and even more dignified state.
Acting President Haxhiu bestowed the “Order of Freedom” on Commander Adem Shehi
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, today, on Liberation Day, bestowed the “Order of Freedom” on Commander Adem Shehi. “From Tirana’s Farka Adem Shehi came to Kosovo at a time when the Kosovo Liberation Army needed people who knew how to turn will into order, courage into resistance and the young fighter into a well-trained soldier”, said Acting President Haxhiu. According to her, he brought the knowledge of an officer, the experience of the army and the seriousness of a man who understands the weight of the duty. “Before directly joining the war, he helped organize and train hundreds of KLA volunteers and soldiers. Then, as commander of the 153rd Brigade “Hyzri Talla” in the Llapi Operational Zone, he became part of the strengthening of the units that operated in Llap and Gollak”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. She said that, just like many other officers and volunteers from Albania, he knew that when Kosovo was in danger, the border could not be an excuse to stay away. “This honor is for his service, for the knowledge he put to work, for the risk he took on himself, and for that Albanian line that in difficult hours, stood up for Kosovo. Gratitude to Commander Adem Shehi and to all those who gave Kosovo knowledge, weapons, faith and life”, said Acting President Haxhiu.
Acting President Haxhiu condoles the Jashari family on the passing of Sahit Jashari
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, said that she received with deep sorrow the news of Sahit Jashari’s passing away. In these difficult moments for the family, Acting President Haxhiu expressed her most sincere condolences to the Jashari family. “Sahit Jashari belonged to the generation of people who, during Kosovo’s most difficult days, answered the call for freedom with courage, dedication and sacrifice. As an early comrade-in-arms and one of the first figures of the liberation organization, he remained eternally connected to Prekaz, to Drenica and to the history of our national resistance,” reads the telegram from Acting President Haxhiu. She further stated that his life was connected to the ideal of freedom and to Kosovo’s long road to liberation. “In the memory of his family, comrades and citizens who knew him, Sahit Jashari will remain a man of endurance, loyalty and dedication to the homeland”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu said that in these days of pain, I sympathize with the Jashari family, with his relatives, comrades and friends. “On my behalf and that of the Presidency of the Republic of Kosovo, please accept my most sincere condolences”, reads the condolence telegram from Acting President Haxhiu.
Acting President Haxhiu: Today, on June 12th , Liberation Day, we are here in Prekaz, where it all began
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, together with the acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, on the occasion of June 12th, Kosovo Liberation Day, paid homage at the “Adem Jashari” Memorial Complex in Prekaz, at the tomb of former President Ibrahim Rugova, at the tomb of activist Adem Demaçi, at the Martyrs’ Cemetery in Prishtina, at the statue of Hero Zahir Pajaziti, as well as at the NATO Soldiers’ Memorial Monument. Acting President Haxhiu said that on June 12th, Liberation Day, Prekaz remains the place where the memory of Kosovo’s freedom begins. “There is no June 12th without March 1998. There is no June 12th without the resistance of Commander Adem Jashari, Hamzë, Shaban and over 50 members of the Jashari family, who fell and never surrendered. They did not only defend the thresholds of their homes, they defended the land, the land of our ancestors that was, is and will always be Albanian’,” said Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu said that their sacrifice became the foundation on which the Kosovo Liberation Army and our free Republic stood. “Therefore, every joy of this holiday begins right here, next to these graves. The freedom that we enjoy today is their legacy, to love our Kosovo, both as institutions and as a society, but also honour it eternally with acts that strengthen it each and every day,” said Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu emphasized that Kosovo’s freedom is the fruit of armed resistance, political resistance and sacrifice of many generations. “These names are proof that freedom came from the resistance and sacrifice of Commander Adem Jashari and his family, from the wisdom and political perseverance of President Ibrahim Rugova, from the resistance of the activist of the national cause, Adem Demaçi, whose 28 years of imprisonment did not diminish or break his faith in freedom, from the courage and bravery of Commander Zahir Pajaziti, but also from the blood of all the martyrs of the nation”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. She further said that the legacy left to us by our heroes and martyrs must be our guide, so that we can make our state even more just, stronger and even more worthy. “Glory to the martyrs of the nation and gratitude to all those who contributed to our Kosovo, the Republic of Kosovo, being liberated, free and independent,” said Acting President Haxhiu. At the end, Acting President Haxhiu, through the media, conveyed her congratulations to all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo and Albanians wherever they are on Liberation Day.
Acting President Haxhiu met with the President of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, on the sidelines of the SEECP Summit in Sofia
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, met with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, on the side-lines of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia. Acting President Haxhiu congratulated President Iotova on taking office and expressed Kosovo’s gratitude for Bulgaria’s continued support to Kosovo’s state-building, international subjectivity and Euro-Atlantic path. Kosovo’s next steps in the European integration process, support for membership in the Council of Europe, as well as the importance of a clearer perspective for Kosovo towards NATO were discussed at the meeting. Acting President Haxhiu also stressed the interest in the expansion of cooperation in the fields of defense, economy and education, as well as in strengthening ties between institutions, businesses and citizens of the two countries. The Bulgarian community in Kosovo was also spoken about at the meeting, on which the Acting President Haxhiu reiterated the commitment of Kosovo institutions to respect the rights, inclusion and participation of all communities in public life.
Acting President Haxhiu met with Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, met with the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, on the sidelines of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sofia. The good relations between Kosovo and Slovenia, as well as Slovenia’s continued support for Kosovo’s European and Euro-Atlantic path, were discussed at the meeting. Acting President Haxhiu expressed Kosovo’s gratitude for Slovenia’s support in the Council of Europe membership process and stressed the importance of this support continuing through to the successful conclusion of the process. The meeting also addressed Kosovo’s next steps on the path towards the European Union, including the need to make progress on reforms, align with the EU’s foreign and security policy, and commit to European values, followed by concrete moves in the integration process. Acting President Haxhiu expressed her gratitude to Slovenia for its contribution to KFOR as well, emphasizing the importance of this engagement for Kosovo’s security and the stability of the region.