Thank you very much dear Ambassador Malaj, it is a special pleasure that today we are all united to mark this great celebration.
Honourable Prime Minister Kurti,
Honourable ministers, MPs,
Honourable Minister Spiropali,
Honourable guests,
Honourable leaders of political parties,
President Sejdiu, and all of you present here today,
Dear friends,
I thank you very much once again for the invitation to celebrate together today and I feel very honoured and happy that on behalf of the people and the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, I can convey to you the warmest congratulations on the occasion of November 28th, Independence Day of the Republic of Albania. I would also like to express our best wishes for the well-being of the Albanian people and the further development and prosperity of our dear Albania.
November 28th marks the day of Albania’s independence and its recognition as a state, which brought to fruition the aspirations of the renaissance for an independent state. However, this date brings back to the historical memory of Albanians another November 28th, that of 1443, when Gjergj Kastrioti raised the flag in Krujë and paved the way not only to the unification of Albanians around the idea of freedom and independent life, but also announced the first European integration project, in which the Albanians not only took part, but also bore its stamp.
Today, the Albanian state embodies this historical tradition, together with Albanians wherever they live, just as it embodies the European integration project, life in peace with oneself and its neighbors, love for the land and the will for integration.
In the new history of Kosovo, meanwhile, this date marks the first public appearance of the KLA and the opening of a new chapter in the battle for the freedom of Kosovo, which also followed the very strong tradition of the internationalization of the Kosovo issue and active resistance to the oppressive Serbian hegemony, but it also marks the birthday of our national hero Adem Jashari, our legendary hero.
As on every other November 28th, today we remember these sacrifices and rejoice greatly at the achievements of the Albanian democratic state and the Albanian society in general.
During the 111 years of its existence as an independent state, the Republic of Albania has developed into a modern state, which promotes the rights and fundamental freedoms of its citizens and their economic and cultural well-being, transforming the Albanian society towards a society which promotes and nurtures human progress and stimulates love for common values.
It has traversed through difficult times, but has risen again, because the foundations of its early civilization have remained unbroken; it has gone through political systems and regimes, including the communist hell, which brought the country almost 50 years of isolation, but it has survived as a free country because the citizens of Albania have dreamed of freedom and have strongly devoted themselves to it.
Its free spirit has breathed on the universal civilizational values and on the national spiritual wealth, which gave spirit and soul to the determination to its freedom.
Today, Albania is a democratic country, which promotes the values of freedom and our ancient civilization, the principles of freedom and human and civil rights, promotes culture and diversity and is strongly determined on its European integration path, getting closer each and every day to the EU. And as a member for years of the strongest military alliance in the history of mankind, NATO, it is not only strongly committed to guaranteeing the country’s security, but is also strongly contributing to peace and stability in our entire region.
Honourable participants!
Our two countries, the Republic of Kosovo and that of Albania, are today developing alongside each other, exchanging experiences, knowledge, and supporting each other. We have the same goals: integration into the European Union, and the further consolidation of our countries. Kosovo and Albania are part of a common journey towards Euro-Atlantic integration. We share a strong and common desire to help each other achieve our goals and make this region a better place for everyone.
Today we are proud of our joint achievements. Both Kosovo and Albania have gone through great challenges, but we have also made significant progress.
Our cooperation in terms of protecting territorial integrity, economic development and strengthening institutions is essential for a more stable and developed region. Our common policies and the building of a common culture of cooperation are the foundations that support our successful way forward. Let’s continue this legacy with care and responsibility, building a brighter future for future generations.
Independence is not only a privilege, but a responsibility to preserve and further develop what we have inherited. Today, we have an obligation to work together to ensure a better future for the generations that come after us. Let’s honour this day by dedicating ourselves to a brighter future and carefully preserving what we have built with effort and sacrifices.
I am sure that the spirit of cooperation between our two countries will deepen even further and we will get closer and closer to each other and together we will make a valuable contribution to the promotion of democratic life in our region and we will walk alongside each other in promoting freedom and its principles, upon which we have traditionally based our politics.
Happy November 28th!
May God bless the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Kosovo!
