Esteemed Baca Rifat Jashari,
Honourable Jashari family,
Honourable Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Konjufca,
Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic, Mr. Kurti,
Honourable KSF Commander, Lieutenant General Bashkim Jashari,
Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci,
Representatives of the Government and the Assembly,
Honourable officers, non-commissioned officers and KSF soldiers,
Families of heroes, martyrs and of the fallen for freedom, veterans and invalids of the Kosovo Liberation Army,
Honourable diplomats and military personnel from amicable countries,
Dear children,
Honorable participants,
March in Kosovo is not just a month on the calendar, but a permanent memory of sacrifice, heroism and determination of our people for freedom.
During this month we commemorate the glorious KLA Epopee of the war, we bow with respect to the heroes of the nation, we remember the martyrs who fell in the massacres and we honor the fallen who gave everything for a free Kosovo.
On this sacred day we have gathered at a place with extraordinary symbolism, at the “Adem Jashari” barracks, where the values for which our martyrs fell are preserved and continue to live.
This is the place where the legacy of the legendary commander Adem Jashari is not just a memory, but an inspiration for today’s and future generations, to our army and to the entire nation.
Therefore, today we proudly remember the legendary commander, Adem Jashari, his heroic family and all the fighters who served their homeland, paying for freedom with their lives.
Hero Shaban Jashari, to whom I bestowed a few days ago the Order of Hero of Kosovo, and the entire Jashari family, which was specially awarded the Order of Freedom, were the best example of how a country should be and how freedom should look like.
Hamëz Jashari, together with Adem Jashari and their entire family stood steadfast in the war, proving that there is no greater sacrifice than the one for the future and the homeland.
During those three days of March, from March 5th to 7th, 1998, one of the most heroic battles in the history of the Albanian nation took place in Prekaz.
In addition to the men, children, women and the elderly also became martyrs, because Prekaz was not just a village. Prekaz was a fortress of freedom, it was an invincible fortress of our nation and it remains so today.
The Jashari family is the foundation upon which Kosovo’s freedom was built, a living monument of unparalleled sacrifice and heroism.
In the history of humanity, it has rarely happened that an entire family was sacrificed for the sacred ideal of freedom, becoming a symbol of national resistance and dignity and a motivation for thousands of KLA fighters.
From the first bullet to the heroic resistance of March ’98, the Jasharis did not break, did not retreat, but embraced immortality.
In the darkest times, they lit the light of hope. In the greatest of challenges, they found the strength to move forward.
In moments when Kosovo’s freedom and future were in question, they became the answer, they became the shield and the heart and soul of this country.
The KLA Epopee is therefore an eternal testament to the endurance, sacrifice and invincibility of our people.
This epopee, apart from a battle, was a call of national conscience that was heard by the hearts of millions of Albanians everywhere.
It was a cry for freedom that spread from Prekaz to every corner of Kosovo, from the mountains of Pashtrik to the fields of Dukagjini, from heroic Drenica to proud Anamorava, from Isa Boletini’s Mitrovica, to all the lands where Albanians live.
In those days of March 1998, when the flames covered Prekaz, when the Jashari house became a fortress of freedom, a family was killed, but a new era was begotten for Kosovo – the most glorious era of our history.
The epopee therefore, produced an era, which derived from the oath given for a free and independent Kosovo.
But freedom does not become eternal with our battles, as it requires daily dedication to maintain it, it requires constant sacrifice to protect our strong state and the future of our children and the new generation of Jashars.
Today, this care is taken by the Kosovo Army, the successor to the KLA, the Kosovo Security Force. This army, with professionalism and dedication, is always ready to stand up for the country.
The KSF, as well as the Kosovo Police, are a guarantee of our sovereignty, a shield for the peace and security of our citizens and a proof that the sacrifice of the nation’s martyrs has not been in vain.
With our soldiers trained to the highest standards, ready to defend the homeland in any circumstances, we prove that Kosovo not only knows how to preserve peace, but also to defend it with dignity and pride.
The epic of the KLA taught us that nothing is impossible when we have the courage to stand united for the ideal of freedom.
Hence, today more than ever we must once again stand united to defend our Kosovo, to make it stronger, more dignified and more respected in the world.
Let us move forward with confidence, courage and pride, showing the world that Kosovo is and will remain a success story, a country that has won its future with great sacrifice and dedication, with dignity and unity!
Eternal glory to the legendary commander Adem Jashari and to the Jashari family!
Glory to all the martyrs and to the fallen!
May God bless the Kosovo Liberation Army!
May God bless the Republic of Kosovo!
