Acting President Haxhiu received the ambassadors of the Nordic and Baltic countries to the OSCE
Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, received today the ambassadors of the Nordic and Baltic countries to the OSCE. The progress of the Republic of Kosovo in strengthening democratic institutions, the rule of law, economic development and advancing the rights of all communities was discussed at the meeting. The security and importance of the expansion of cooperation with our partners in support of Kosovo’s strategic objectives were also some of the issues discussed. Acting President Haxhiu highly appreciated the continued support of the Nordic and Baltic countries provided to the Republic of Kosovo.
Acting President Haxhiu receives the Charge d’Affaires of the United States of America to Kosovo, Anu Prattipati
Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, received today the Charge d’Affaires of the United States of America to Kosovo, Anu Prattipati. Acting President Haxhiu and the Charge d’Affaires of the United States of America to Kosovo, Anu Prattipati, discussed current political developments in the country, the close cooperation between the Republic of Kosovo and the United States of America, as well as the importance of our strategic partnership towards strengthening of democratic and security institutions, as well as our country’s Euro-Atlantic perspective.
Acting President Haxhiu’s address at the solemn session held on the occasion of the Memorial Day for Survivors of War Sexual Violence – “Return My Light”
Dear Vasfije, Shyrete Dear Ramadan, Honorable Members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Honorable Prime Minister Kurti, Honorable Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers of the Government Cabinet, Honorable Ambassadors and Representatives of Diplomatic Missions, Honorable Ms. Feride Rushiti, Honorable Citizens, Honorable Media, First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to everyone who has worked tirelessly on this cause over the years. We have just lit candles at the Assembly Hall of the Republic of Kosovo, a symbolism that is simple in appearance but profound in meaning, as Martin Luther King would say: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” And today, when we say “Return my Light,” we are talking about the light we owe to the truth, about the dignity that was attempted to be trampled on, and about the life that was cut in half. Few crimes strike human beings with such cruelty as sexual violence during the war, because through it, human dignity itself is fundamentally attacked. Sexual violence as one of the most cruel means of war is not a recent phenomenon or an occasional manifestation of human brutality. It is deeply rooted in the history of wars, as a recurring form of subjugation and social destruction. Since ancient wars, women’s bodies have been treated as part of the spoils of war and as territory to be conquered along with the land. In the centuries that followed, this practice did not disappear, but took on more organized shape. During World War II, sexual violence was used on a large scale, from massacres in Asia to mass rapes in Europe, often tolerated or unpunished by military structures. In some cases, it was institutionalized, as in the systems of sexual slavery established by occupying armies. At the end of the twentieth century, in the wars of the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, the world was confronted with a truth that could no longer be masked. Sexual violence, which until then was considered a consequence of war, was seen as its instrument, as it was used, with full awareness as a means of terror, as an instrument of humiliation, as a way to penetrate beyond the human body and strike at the dignity of the victim, the family, the community, the very social bond that keeps a people afloat. It was precisely during this period that international justice began to recognize it as a war crime, as a crime against humanity and, in certain circumstances, as an element of genocide. However, even when it was legally named, it remained for a long time enclosed in social silence. The shame was placed on the victims, while the crime was moved to the periphery of collective memory. In Kosovo, this brutal and cruel tool was exercised by the Serbian state apparatus and its military, police and paramilitary structures as part of an organized campaign of terror against the Albanian civilian population. And this must be said clearly. It was part of a conscious mechanism of violence, aimed at humiliating, subjugating and shaking the foundations of our society. Over twenty thousand women, men and children faced this crime during the last war in Kosovo. But this number is much more than a statistical figure. This number means truncated human destinies, families forced to bear great pain in silence, and entire lives forever divided in half. For years following the liberation, this part of our truth remained on the edge of public consciousness. The crime was known, but not pronounced with the weight it deserved. The survivors alone bore the burden of what society itself should have borne as responsibility, while the perpetrators of these crimes, in many cases, remained free, outside our jurisdiction and under the protection of Serbia. However, even in the midst of the darkness, a candle was lit, like the ones we lit together today. The silence was broken. We had women and men who found the strength to speak out when silence seemed easier. Women and men who did not ask to be seen with pity, but to be heard with dignity. They are among us today, here we have Vasfije, Shyrete, we have Dani, The late Marte Tunaj, survivor of sexual violence who with their voice changed not only the public discourse, but the very conscience of this state. Thanks to that courage, the Republic of Kosovo finally began to build an institutional response worthy of the gravity of this issue, starting from the legal recognition of the status of survivors of violence, to verification and support mechanisms, and to the inclusion of this day in the memorial calendar of our Republic. This date is related to April 14th 1999, the day when Vasfije Krasniqi was kidnapped and sexually raped. Vasfije, we are with you. You have the support of not only the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, but also of the entire Albanian nation and much more than the Albanian nation. In recent years, the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have taken viable steps to address the crimes committed by Serbia in Kosovo: through the development of transitional justice policies that place the needs of the victims at the center, the establishment of an institution for documenting war crimes, strengthening the capacities of both the police and the prosecution for criminal prosecution, as well as enabling trials in absentia for war criminals, because Serbia continues to serve as a haven for many of the perpetrators of these crimes. There are already twelve indictments in the process for cases of sexual violence during the war, we have one final decision, that is, a conviction, a conviction verdict for this crime during the war, and two other decisions are also awaiting to become final. But justice remains truncated as long as many of the perpetrators of these crimes live free today in Serbia, sheltered and protected by a state that has not yet faced its responsibility for the crimes committed in Kosovo and that continues to refuse
Acting President Haxhiu and Prime Minister Kurti have signed the decision to extend the mandate of Mr. Petrit Ajeti as Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) for a new five-year term
The Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, have today signed the decision to extend the mandate of Mr. Petrit Ajeti as Director of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA), for a new five-year term. This decision reflects the institutional assessment of Mr. Ajeti’s professionalism, dedication and work to date in leading the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, as well as the confidence in the continuity of his leadership in strengthening the intelligence and security capacities of the Republic of Kosovo. During his mandate, the KIA has continued to play a key role in protecting the constitutional order, national security and strategic interests of the Republic of Kosovo, in close coordination with local institutions and international security partners. Mr. Ajeti has over 20 years of experience in the field of security and defense, and for the last five years he has led the Kosovo Intelligence Agency. His professional experience includes senior positions in the security sector, with continuous contribution to strengthening the institutional and security capacities of the Republic of Kosovo. He completed his studies in Political Science at the University of Pristina “Hasan Prishtina”, studies at the Military Academy “Skënderbej” in Tirana, as well as his master’s studies at the Metropolitan University of London. He has also attended numerous professional development programs in the field of security in Germany and the United States of America. Strengthening security institutions and protecting state interests remain among the key priorities of the Republic of Kosovo.
Acting President Haxhiu: We commenced our day at the “Heroinat” Memorial to honour the sacrifice and dignity of survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo
Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, and at the same time the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, accompanied by the Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Ms. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, Mr. Ramadan Nishori and Ms. Feride Rushiti, as well as ministers, members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and representatives of civil society organizations, paid tribute at the “Heroinat” Memorial, in honour of April 14th, the Day of Survivors of Sexual Violence in the last war in Kosovo. Acting President Haxhiu said that together with Prime Minister Kurti, Vasfije, Feride, Dani, ministers, members of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, representatives of institutions in the Republic of Kosovo and representatives of civil society organizations, we commenced our day at the “Heroinat” Memorial to honour the sacrifice and dignity of survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo. “These are deep stories of pain, but also of extraordinary resilience and strength,” said Acting President Haxhiu. She further emphasized that the girls and women, as well as the boys and men, who survived this violence show us that we still have a lot of work to do to address our responsibilities as institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, especially in addressing justice. “On this point, let me inform you that 12 indictments have recently been filed for sexual violence during the last war in Kosovo. We also have three court decisions, sentencing decisions for cases of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo, with two of them being at the Basic Court, while one has received a decision, that is, a final one. As institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, during these days and during this period, we have addressed our responsibilities in relation to addressing war crimes in general”, emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. She said that we will commit to addressing all the needs of survivors of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo according to the responsibilities we have. “Here I am with Feride, I am with Dani and Vasfije. I thank the civil society organizations, which for more than two decades since the end of the war have kept the morale high, and have also addressed the damages and crimes that Serbia has committed in the Republic of Kosovo, including cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity, but also genocide, and this includes sexual violence. Vasfije and Dani, as well as Shyretje and Marte Tunaj, have spoken on these crimes and this proves that they are not guilty, the criminals who committed these crimes are guilty”, said Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu has called once again on our international partners to put pressure on Serbia to hand over the criminals to the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. “Therefore, I call once again today on our international partners to put pressure on Serbia to hand over the criminals to the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, because as you know, Serbia has become a haven for war criminals, but also for those terrorists who commit crimes during peacetime”. According to Acting President Haxhiu, it is important that the justice institutions implement trials in absentia, because as a result of what I mentioned before, the fact Serbia does not hand over the war criminals, we are obliged to conduct the trials in absentia, in order to at least alleviate the pain of the families, but also of the survivors. Mrs. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman, said that for her today it is very difficult, because “27 years ago when I was only 16 years old, I was in the hands of the enemy, but today I am here to talk about justice”. She further stated that today I have the entire Albanian people behind me, because for many years I had only my family. “I want to thank the institutions, organizations, society, family for their support, for their backing I call on the victims to join us as much as possible, to come out and speak publicly, but the main thing is to seek justice, because it is something that Serbia cannot be forgiven for the crimes it committed in Kosovo. When I knew how to seek justice when I was only 17 years old, why shouldn’t everyone seek justice today?” said Mrs. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman. Mr.Ramadan Nishori also called on every survivor to come to organizations as much as possible to seek help, but also to file a lawsuit against the Serbian state. “Today marks one year since I came out to speak publicly. From this place, I call on every survivor to come to as many organizations as possible, to seek help, but also to file a lawsuit against the Serbian state,” said Nishori. For Ms. Ferdie Rushiti, for the entire Kosovar society, but above all for the survivors, for their families, for the history of Kosovo, this date marks the collective memory of Kosovo. “We are glad that, beyond us as an organization, we also have the institutions of Kosovo, which with various launched activities are raising their voices for survivors of sexual violence. I want to say that this day coincides with the date of Vasfije Krasniqi, at the moment when she, as a young woman, was subjected to massive torture at the place where the crime occurred, and from that place years ago, Vasfije requested that this day be an institutional day, a memorial day for survivors of sexual violence of the war”, said Ms. Rushiti. She further added that today we respect and honour the voice of Vasfije the voice of Dani, the voice of Shyrete, but also the voices of hundreds and thousands of survivors, who still do not dare to speak and are afraid of stigma and prejudice to share their stories in public. “Today, I also want to tell you that we have a major regional conference, which is related precisely to the justice process and compensation. For the fact that for the first time we are opening a topic that has
Acting President Haxhiu congratulates Orthodox Easter
Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, on the occasion of Orthodox Easter, conveyed her warmest felicitations to all Orthodox believers. “The Easter holiday reminds us of the importance of solidarity, understanding and mutual respect, values on which a democratic and united society is built,” said Acting President Haxhiu. She wished that this holiday would bring peace, good health and prosperity. “I wish that this holiday brings peace, good health and prosperity to you and your loved ones. Happy Orthodox Easter!”, states Acting President Haxhiu’s greeting note.
A Memorial Academy was held today under the patronage of the Acting President Haxhiu, on the occasion of the Day of the Martyrs of the Battle of Koshare and the day of the fall of the hero of Kosovo, Agim Ramadani
On behalf of Acting President Haxhiu, the First Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Ardian Gola, held an address. He said that in at the red hall today, where we have gathered in memory of the Day of the Martyrs and the fall of our national hero Agim Ramadani, there is no smell of gunpowder nor are there shots by our our brave men heard,as 27 years ago in Koshare. Because we are not in Koshare, but what Koshare brought us is present here among us. It is present in the way we live today and how we move freely. “The removal of the Albanian-Albanian border was the greatest achievement of the Battle of Koshare. A border that had separated us for almost a century. A border that taught us to stop, to restrain, to wait. And over time, it became part of the way we thought and how we saw the world. This was our truth until April 1999,” emphasized Deputy Speaker Gola. According to him, the Battle of Koshare, as the most glorious battle of our modern history, beyond being a military operation, was also an intervention in the very meaning of the border. When that border was broken, another border was dismantled. The one we had within ourselves. The one that also limited our dreams. Deputy Speaker Gola further added that “Our dream of freedom did not take shape in books, but in the lives of people, as was the life of Commander Katana. Agim Ramadani had a great creative spirit. He painted, wrote, and thought differently. He was educated at the Zagreb Military Academy, grew up in Kosovo and later, as a persecuted person, was forced to migrate to Switzerland. There, together with the love of his life, the rival of the school benches, and fellow activist in the underground, the honorable Mrs. Shukrije Ramadani, and with the children Jeton, Edon and Lorina, he built his life”. He said that this reflects the fact that Agim Ramadani did not enter the war because there was no other way. He had every reason to stay in Switzerland and he did not stay. He abandoned European comfort and joined his friends because he could not separate his life from what was happening to the country. “He understood early on that waiting is not enough. Therefore, he did not let this question remain pending. He did not keep it as a poetic dilemma, but turned it into a decision. And he returned to his homeland towards a concrete danger. Towards an unequal war, where, as his comrades-in-arms show, it was not enough to be brave, you also had to be a strategist and a visionary. And he did this without fuss, without grand declarations, but with a clarity that distinguishes a man who has made up his mind. In Koshare, he was a commander, but above all, he was a man who bore responsibility for others. Those who fought alongside him remember him for his calmness in decision-making, for his discipline and for the conviction that what they were doing had meaning even beyond the day of battle. They speak of his dignified stance in difficult situations and for his responsibility in decisions,” emphasized Deputy Speaker Gola, adding further that “When he fell on April 11th 1999, he left behind a great void, but he also left behind a standard. The standard of a man who, when his homeland calls, does not sit idly by. The willingness of Commander Katana and his comrades convinced others that what seemed impossible could be done and was being done. He inspired an entire generation to see freedom as an ideal that requires concrete action, risk and sacrifice. This generation was the Kosovo Liberation Army, an army that was built in impossible conditions, but with complete clarity about what needed to be achieved”. According to him, the commemoration of Agim Ramadani today puts us face to face with ourselves. Face to face with the standard that he and his comrades set and face to face with the way we today carry out our responsibility. It forces us to keep the state of Kosovo at the height of that standard and protect justice from any deviation. At the conclusion he said that today we bow to all the martyrs of the Battle of Koshare, to those who gave their lives on that border line and gave direction to our freedom.
Acting President Haxhiu: Kosovo today lost a proven friend, US Congressman Eliot Engel, who was a steadfast supporter of our freedom and statehood
Acting President Albulena Haxhiu stated that Kosovo today lost a proven friend, the US Congressman Eliot Engel, who was a steadfast supporter of our freedom and statehood. “For more than three decades in the US Congress, he stood on the right side of history. From calling for NATO intervention in 1999 against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, to supporting independence in 2008 and the consolidation of our state, Engel was a steadfast ally of Kosovo during all stages,” emphasized Acting President Haxhiu. Acting President Haxhiu, on behalf of the institutions and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, expressed her deepest condolences to the Engel family and to the people of the United States of America. She further added that his contribution and the memory of him will remain a permanent part of our history.
Acting President Haxhiu appoints Ms. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman and Ms. Shyrete Tahiri as special delegates on the issue of survivors of sexual violence during the war
Acting President Albulena Haxhiu received Ms. Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman and Ms. Shyrete Tahiri, who have been appointed as special delegates on the issue of survivors of sexual violence during the war. During the meeting, their courage and resilience were appreciated, as well as the important role they have played in breaking the silence and seeking justice for victims of sexual violence during the war in Kosovo. It was emphasized that their voice has helped this issue to be handled with dignity and seriousness, both domestically and internationally, and that their engagement now also has an institutional dimension. The continuation of cooperation with institutions, in order to strengthen support for survivors and to advance their rights, while keeping the demand for justice active and present was also discussed in this regard. Institutions will continue their engagement for dignity, justice and equal treatment.
Acting President Albulena Haxhiu’s interview with “Konfront”, KTV
