Prishtina, December 3rd, 2018 – Under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, a memorial academy was held today to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the falling of the Hero Hyzri Talla and his fellow fighters, Afrim Maliqi and Ilir Durmishi.
President Thaçi has said that 20 years ago, Kosovo lost two prominent activists and one intellectual at their best creative age.
“Kosovo lost the members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Hyzri Talla, Ilir Durmishi and journalist Afrim Maliqi,” said President Thaçi.
The head of state said that in the last decade of the twentieth century, Kosovo entered an intense phase of systematic violence, prosecution, imprisonment and murder of Albanians, exercised by the occupying regime in Belgrade.
To counter these repressive measures, he stressed that Kosovo Albanians used all the means of political and civic resistance.
“Civil resistance, the best articulation of which came through the political and military organization of the people, through the Kosovo Liberation Army. The KLA in its ranks joined the most committed and people ready to fight against Serbia's police, military and administrative apparatus. In 1998, the Kosovo Liberation Army strengthened and expanded throughout Kosovo. In the summer and autumn offensives of 1998, the KLA proved a modern, invincible and determined guerrilla in its aim for the liberation of Kosovo. Freedom fighters and the people had become one, despite the price and the sacrifice, “said President Thaçi.
The head of state said that one of its unyielding fighters was Hyzri Talla, who had organisational experience patriotic organizations, which never stopped the activity against the occupation of Kosovo.
“Within the Llap Operational Zone, Hyzri performed with honour and responsibility many important duties. On December 2, 1998, Hyzri Talla was inside Prishtina at the helm of his mission as a KLA officer of the Llap Operational Zone. Accompanying Hyzri was Ilir Durmishi, an activist dedicated to contributing with all his energies. Afrim Maliqi, a talented journalist was also with them, their brother in ideals. The killing of these three activists was an indication of the danger that the Kosovo Liberation Army was posing for invading segments: in fronts, in trenches, in urban centers and elsewhere in Kosovo, “said President Thaçi.
Despite the strikes and losses of our comrades, the head of state said that KLA managed to become the most important political and military factor in 1998 and in the first half of 1999.
Due to its determination, vision, and its orientation towards the values of Western democracy, the war and the resistance of the people of Kosovo was successfully crowned. Kosovo, supported by the democratic world, the United States, EU and NATO, achieved its liberation and freedom, dreamed and longed for many generations. This year Kosovo celebrated the 19th anniversary of its liberation and the 10th anniversary of its independence. After the realization of the two great objectives of liberation and independence, Kosovo is clear on its third objective, its integration into the Euro-Atlantic institutions, in the EU, NATO and the UN, “added the President.
President Thaçi said that freedom and independence would not have happened without the sacrifice of martyrs of all time periods and without the magnificent KLA war.
Therefore, he added, today with the highest state honours we remember and honour the falling on the 2nd of December 1998, of Hyzri, Ilir and Afrim.
President Thaçi stressed that Kosovo is eternally grateful to all those who fell for its freedom.