Honorable Mayor, Mr. Ilir Ferati,
Honorable representatives of local and central institutions,
Honorable former Prime Minister Haradinaj,
Honorable representatives of associations that emerged from the Kosovo Liberation Army war,
Honorable KLA veterans and invalids,
Families of martyrs,
Dear children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of martyrs,
Honorable participants,
Nations like ours are always reborn through martyrs. Therefore, today we have gathered in the village of Vrellë in Istog, in this land that breathes with pride and pain, to bow with respect to the martyrs of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
To bow all together to the most worthy sons and daughters of our Nation, who sacrificed themselves for the freedom that we enjoy today.
In this sacred month to us, in June of liberation, when 26 years ago Kosovo, with the momentum of the KLA, completed the path to freedom with the help of our allies led by the United States of America, we are inaugurating this memorial, which will forever be a testament to the blood shed, a testament to bravery and glory, which will never fade.
History honors Vrella, Istog and Kosovo today. We honor these immortal names, who joined the ranks of the KLA for freedom and for our country. Our martyrs rose above every fear, above every obstacle and above every violation of human dignity. They showed the world that Kosovo has sons and daughters, who love this land more than themselves.
The Kosovo Liberation Army was the heart of our national resistance. It was the bloody oath of a people who were denied, despised and persecuted for decades, but never bowed down to the occupier.
The KLA was the volcano of a people who wanted to live free in their own land.
In this memorial, not only the bodies of the martyrs will remain, but also a part of the foundation of our state, in fact the strongest foundations of our state. Here rest the promises that the heroes left half for an independent, sovereign Kosovo with a clear Euro-Atlantic direction.
Honorable guests,
Istog and its surroundings are not only a place of war, sacrifice and liberation, but also a land of wisdom, vision and leaders who gave direction to the destiny of our nation.
This blessed land, in addition to the many martyrs who gave their lives for freedom, also gave birth to the emblematic figure of our modern history, the historic President, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, the architect of our statehood, who with wisdom and vision built together with the KLA the foundations of our Republic.
The heroic struggle of the KLA and President Rugova were the ones who paved the way for friendship and strong foundations for our state. These titans taught us that freedom is won when the nation unites. When in the face of injustice stands an invincible spirit, unwavering dignity and an unquenchable will to live free.
If we want to truly honor the blood of the martyrs, then we must be worthy of their sacrifice. We must defend freedom every day and defend it as a value, not as a privilege. To work every day for the rule of law, for well-being, human dignity and for the protection of every inch of our state, which has been achieved with blood.
We must always remember that without the KLA’s war and without the support of the United States of America, NATO and other allies, Kosovo would not be what it is today, a free sovereign state that walks with confident steps towards the family of civilized nations.
On this unforgettable day, an eternal thanksgiving should echo from the Vrella of Istog!
Glory to our immortal martyrs!
Glory to the Kosovo Liberation Army!
Long live the Republic of Kosovo!
Eternal memory to the martyrs of the nation and to all our fallen!
