Honorable Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Konjufca,
Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic, Mr. Kurti,
Honourable uncle Rifat,
Honourable representatives of the Jashari family who have honored us with your presence at this Session,
Honourable MPs, other representatives of the central and local institutions of the Republic,
Honourable ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions,
Honourable commanders and officers of the Kosovo Security Force,
Honourable families of the martyrs!
Honourable Veterans,
Honourable participants,
Every beginning of March, our civic and institutional gaze turns to historical events which have marked a decisive turning point for our nation and are firmly embedded in the memory of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo. These events are the most important part of our historical heritage, on which we layer each of our efforts to consolidate our state, for which whole generations sacrificed their most precious: their lives.
The events of March 5, 6 and 7, 1998 constitute not only our memory of the newest history of Kosovo but also one of the strongest pillars on which our new state, the Republic of Kosovo, was built.
The war cry called on March 5th by the legendary commander Adem Jashari together with his family was the war cry for the mobilization of the KLA girls and boys who during the three days of the battle in Prekaz in a heroic confrontation with the forces of the genocidal regime of Serbia gained eternity.
This KLA Epopee is an Epopee of our dignity, pride and freedom.
In this glorious battle, the determination of the Jashari family and all of KLA fighters were immortalized, to protect every inch of this land as well as to justify the sacrifice to the motherland as the most sublime human sacrifice.
During these days of glory, on the one side was Uncle Shaban, Hamza, Legendary Commander Adem Jashari, family members and fellow fighters of the KLA who personified justice and freedom, while on the other side were the Serbian genocidal forces, who were convinced that freedom is more valuable than any of their military might.
The fact that the Serbian killing machine did not spare the children, the elderly or the women, that it did not spare anyone or anything, proves to history the right of our people to defend themselves and to gain freedom.
On this day, we also remember all the women and children of the Jashari family, who were not spared by the Serbian genocidal regime. The memory of them and their sacrifice will be eternal for all of Kosovo, free today due to this sacrifice. On days like these, we must always make sure that to our children and to the generations we will leave behind always speak about the children of the Jashari family and about all the children who fell on the altar of freedom, as well as about the example of bravery and courage given by the entire Jashari family, led by the Legendary Commander.
Hence today, a quarter of a century later, we humbly remember the sacrifice of this family, of the men and women, children and elders, and all the martyrs who fell in that battle and in other battles, to quickly transform themselves into a symbol of our resistance for liberation. Likewise, we are eternally grateful to all the men and women of the KLA, who served their country and fell for its freedom, becoming the most glorious part of our history. They proved that in the face of extreme violence, the feeling for freedom is always extremely strengthened; faced with the intention to exterminate or expel an entire people, their conviction to live free becomes invincible.
Dear citizens of the Republic!
Honourable MPs!
Honourable Jashari family!
As evidenced in history, a quarter of a century is not very long in the life of nations and states. However, it may sound long in terms of time. Therefore, it is very important to keep the memory of our path alive. It is not said in vain that people who forget their history run the risk of repeating it.
Therefore, we must and will keep alive the memory of the sacrifice of the Jashari family and of the entire KLA war, which they fought for the country. We must preserve the memory of the resistance of this family led by the legendary commander Adem Jashari, but also the sacrifice of an entire nation, as part of our painful history, because by remembering them, we layer our narrative for ourselves and for the path we have taken until the creation of the free and independent state of Kosovo.
We won freedom because we have known its weight for centuries, often facing its lack due to various attacks upon us. But, we won it because even in difficult historical circumstances we stood and we faced the pain, we fought with trust in the final victory. Freedom, as is known, is won by those nations and those countries who really believe in it and who are ready to face any sacrifice to achieve it. We who have experienced oppression know this best.
This was best understood by the leader of our war for liberation, commander Adem Jashari, who, together with other KLA fighters, had started the preparations for the final confrontation with Serbia as early as 1991 in Albania.
He knew that he was taking great risks, that his readiness for sublime sacrifice could also become a family sacrifice, and that he could be asked to give his life to his country. But he was determined. He could not stand the siege, he had to break it, because the feeling of freedom could no longer be kept under siege. He was challenged by a siege of his family again on the 30th of December 1991 and 22 January 1998, before succumbing on the decisive battle of March 1998, along with most of his family members.
Dear citizens!
The battle of Jasharis became an inspiration for thousands of young men and women, who, driven by the echo of the events in Prekaz defended their land, the land of their forefathers. However, the battle of the Jasharis also helped to mobilize the international community around the Kosovo issue. The sight of children, women and the elderly killed on the doorstep of their homes, could not be passed over silently by world diplomacy. They turned into calls to protect human values as well as the values of European civilization.
The Legendary Commander stood up, and prepared himself and his family to become a permanent emblem of our freedom.
He is the personification of heroism, of sacrifice, two noble virtues that guarantee eternity and guaranteed us freedom.
Let us be inspired by his example and that of KLA fighters, and let us try to embody these virtues in our lives and for our country.
Finally, we are free, and He is alive!
God bless the Jashari family!
May God bless the KLA martyrs!
May God bless the Republic of Kosovo and its citizens!
Thank you!
