On the 13th anniversary of the glorious Epopee of the Kosovo Liberation Army in Dukagjin, the President of the Republic of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli has addressed a letter to Hilmi Haradinaj, Haradinaj family and Mr. Avdyl Mushkolaj, Head of the Dukagjini War Veterans’ Organisation.
The letter reads:
Each year on this date, the people of the Republic of Kosovo proudly celebrate the anniversary of the commencement of the glorious Epopee of the Kosovo Liberation Army in Dukagjin. The Epopee of Dukagjin constituted an unrepeatable resistance that aimed a liberating a nation. It represents the most sublime act of all the century-long efforts and sacrifices made for the freedom of Kosovo. It was a masterpiece of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The Epopee of Dukagjin is the modern history of our freedom.
The Epopee of Dukagjin is an epopee of resistance, heroism, sacrifice and an unequalled unity in Kosovo’s political history. It is a glorious epopee of unification of Albanians in a war for freedom and liberation, an epopee that glorified the heroism and sacrifices made by generations for freedom for a whole century.
The 24th of March is an everlasting date that cannot be forgotten. The day will live forever all around Kosovo. The 24th of March in Gllogjan is a map of sacrifice, pain, war and journey towards the salvation of Kosovo. It is one of the most important dates in the modern history of our nation.
Every March, we get together to commemorate Dukagini’s fighters and martyrs; those who lie in the foundations of our dreams, of the dreams and happiness of our youth, of the endeavour and engagement of our workers and of the honour and the pride of Kosovar children and families.
Today, they are honoured by an independent and sovereign state of Kosovo, for the sake of which those thousands of man and women of Kosovo have sacrificed their own lives and beings for freedom – the highest value of nations and peoples. Today we are part of a world of which those who have brought us here have dreamt. Each year passes and cements the foundations of the freedom of Kosovo. Each year that passes adds to the magnificence of major sacrifices that were made for the freedom of our country and to the historic weight of our memories and boosts the pride of our generations and successors.
Today, eleven years later, Kosovo is free. It has established itself as an independent and democratic state that has received international recognition and that aims at integration into the European Union and the NATO.
Today, when we have closed the chapter of building our independent and sovereign state of Kosovo, we honour highly the sublime sacrifices made by the KLA fighters, by our martyrs who have died so that our future generations live in a free, democratic and independent Kosovo.
On behalf of the people of the Republic of Kosovo, I want to express my highest consideration and bow before the sublime sacrifice made by the KLA fighters in the region of Dukagjin. It is our moral, national and state obligation to make sure that our state stands upon sound foundations. It is our legitimate responsibility to build a real democratic and developed state. It is a high state responsibility to foster political unity for the sake of the future of Kosovo.
By virtue of our joint engagement and in the spirit of peace and friendship, I trust we will accomplish the great will of the martyrs who have died for the freedom of Kosovo.
By building on their legacy, we are now praising a watershed in our history. Kosovo and its people and institutions bow before them.
Glory and honour to the martyrs of the nation!
Sincerely
Behgjet Pacolli,
President of Republic of Kosovo
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