In celebration of the 27th anniversary of the liberation of Pristina, the Municipal Assembly held a solemn session, attended by institutional representatives, war veterans, members of the security forces and others. In this session, the sacrifice for freedom, the journey towards state building and the development of the capital over the years were evaluated.
The Mayor of Pristina Municipality, Përparim Rama, said that freedom gained through sacrifice must be accompanied by responsibility for building a state and capital worthy of future generations.
“Today we are in this symbolic session where history meets the future. On one side you can see that we have here the veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army, those who with courage, sacrifice and faith brought freedom. On the other side we have the institutions that protect us today, we have the Kosovo Security Force, the Kosovo Police, the firefighters and all the workers who serve the capital and its citizens every day. This view is the most beautiful evidence of our journey from resistance to state building, from the fight for freedom to the responsibility to protect and strengthen it”, he said.
Rama emphasized that the responsibility of the institutions is to build a state and a capital that are worthy of the sacrifice of the martyrs.
“Therefore, we are proud to have completed the cemeteries of the martyrs in Makoc e Marec, as well as those in Pristina, creating dignified places of remembrance for those who gave their lives to Kosovo. And in the heart of Pristina, the memorial of the Jashari family of commander Adem Jashari will now be built. This will be a space of memory, a space of reflection and education for the new generations. Also, the project for the memorial park and the presidential library “Ibrahim Rugova”. This is also an institution that will preserve the legacy of the historical president and will be a symbol of knowledge, culture and state-forming vision”.
However, the chairman of the Municipal Assembly, Fehmi Kupina, emphasized that the freedom of Kosovo is the result of the sacrifice of entire generations and that the memory of the martyrs of the war remains an inseparable part of the national consciousness.
“On this day, we bow with the deepest respect to the nation’s martyrs, martyrs, war invalids and all those men and women who sacrificed everything for the ideal of freedom. Their work is immortal, and their memory will always remain part of our national consciousness,” he said.
The former commander of the KLA in the area of Llapi, Rrustem Mustafa, emphasized the historical importance of June 11, 1999 and the significance of the war for the freedom of Kosovo.
“Today we mark the 27th anniversary of the liberation of Pristina, the most important day of the liberation of our capital. June 11, 1999, the war for freedom, we are crowning with the entry of the forces of the Kosovo Liberation Army and the withdrawal of NATO forces, in Kosovo, it was the day when freedom became tangible. The liberation of the city and all of Kosovo, through the liberation war and the landing of NATO in Kosovo, is not only a story about our glorious past, but also a guide for the future and the strategic direction that Kosovo should follow”, he said.
Veterans at the KLA march demand the release of former leaders in The Hague: Our war was just
3 d. before / Jun 11, 2026 13:38
From: Online Economy
As part of the celebration of Pristina’s Liberation Day, former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, dressed in KLA uniforms, marched through the capital’s squares, demanding the release of former KLA leaders who are being tried in The Hague.
They declared that the KLA’s fight was just and that its former leaders are unfairly facing the judicial process in The Hague, while they expressed optimism that they would return to Kosovo as soon as possible.
The disabled veteran of the KLA war, Asllan Doshi, known as Togu deputy commander, said that the march and the commemoration of the liberation war are an expression of respect for the veterans, the disabled and all those who contributed to the liberation of the country.
“We believe that the release should be immediate because it is a punishment and an unfair trial of our liberation war”, he said.
Even the KLA war veteran, Hajzer Bistrica, recalled his commitment during the war, saying that he served in the Kosovo Liberation Army from the first days until the liberation of the country.
Bistrica said that he is proud to be a living witness of the sacrifice of the war and that the emotions of this day are indescribable.
“I have served in the Kosovo Liberation Army since the first days until the day of liberation. I am a participant who carried the weaponry from Albania to Kosovo to help even a few soldiers, who did not have the opportunity to take the road, we are proud of that period that we had the opportunity to help our soldiers who were here. I am proud that today I made it and I am a living witness of the sacrifice that happened”, he said.
Speaking about the former leaders of the KLA who are being tried in The Hague, Bistrica said that they would not have to face that process and that he expects their return to Kosovo as soon as possible.
The commander of the Fifth Llap-Gollak Operative Zone, Islam Kelmendi, said that the uniform of the KLA remains a sacred symbol for fighters and that every appearance with it awakens the emotions of wartime.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Pristina, Përparim Rama, thanked the KLA veterans for participating in the march, saying that the activity was organized in commemoration of the sacrifice of the martyrs and families who contributed to the freedom of the country.
“I thank the veterans of the Kosovo Liberation Army who joined us today. We made a march as a sign of commemoration of the great sacrifice, of the values of the Kosovo Liberation Army, and of each martyr, of each family that sacrificed everything so that today we have freedom, democracy, that today we come together and plan for the future of our country. Congratulations June 11, Day of To the liberation of the capital! Thank you very much to the veterans! Glory to all the martyrs and families who have given everything so that we can be free today and celebrate this wonderful day in peace,” said Rama.
