“In June 1999 we had fire in the sky and on the ground, but on June 12 the NATO infantry joined the air intervention against (Slobodan) Milosevic to stop the genocide against the Albanian people.”
With these words, Prime Minister Albin Kurti commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the liberation of Kosovo and the landing of the infantry of NATO troops on June 12, 1999. Kurti, accompanied by other senior state and government leaders after honoring the fallen NATO soldiers, said that Kosovo celebrates the peace, liberation and freedom of the country on this date.
According to him, all those women and men who sacrificed their lives are the foundations of Kosovo’s independence.
“On June 12, we celebrate peace, liberation and freedom, and we remind ourselves of this every day because all those women and men who sacrificed and gave their lives are at the foundation of our independence, which we must further lead with justice and democracy,” said Kurti.
Whereas the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca sent a warning message to his citizens and Serbia on the 22nd anniversary of the Liberation. He said that Serbia still has plans to return to Kosovo and this shows that the risk is greater than ever.
“The danger and intimidation from Serbia have not passed yet; the threat is more present today than ever before since June 12, 1999 because as long as Serbia still has plans to return to Kosovo and does not hide them at all, we must be ready to defend our homeland at all costs,” said Konjufca.
On the other hand, the Speaker stressed that readiness is needed to defend the homeland while Serbia still has Kosovo in its Constitution and considers it as its land, so nothing is over.
In the meantime, Albania’s leaders have sent messages to their counterparts in Pristina on the occasion wishing the Kosovo people for liberation. It was noted that the future of Kosovo as a strong and democratic country is in NATO and EU.