Kaçanik, May 14, 2019 – The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, participated today in the Memorial Academy on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Commander of Brigade 162 “Agim Bajrami”, Qamil Ilazi – Commander “Bardhi” and his comrades Selim Shehu, Rizvan and Xhezair Bela, Sakip Mulaku, Ejup Dushkaja, Burhan Zeneli and Hesat Axhamisi.
President Thaçi said that there is not a complete month left to the time when Kosovo will mark the 20th anniversary of the liberation and the centuries-old dream of many generations for freedom and independence would not become a reality without the efforts, dedication, sacrifice and the blood of the martyrs and without the support of the people.
“We wouldn’t experience this reality without the heroic fall of Qamil Ilazi and his comrades, without the fall of two thousand martyrs and thousands of martyrs in 1998-1999. I am very proud that Kaçanik was one of the areas that strongly supported the Liberation Army. Every house of Kaçanik with the surroundings was a KLA base”, said President Thaçi.
The Head of State stressed that today we are commemorating the fall of the hero of Kosovo, Qamil Ilazi, Commander “Bardhi”, who was a patriot, teacher, activist, fighter and uncompromising commander who fell in the forefront of the war for freedom.
“There is nothing casual about this supreme sacrifice act. Qamil Iazi was consistently part of the political and organizational life in the service of Kosovo’s freedom. As an educator of many generations, a political prisoner, a tireless businessman, he eagerly found himself there where the time required him to be, in the KLA structures in the Nerodime Operational Zone. Qamil Ilazi, as defined by his comrades, was a synthesis of high ethics and a fighting spirit. The fall of some commanders on the altar of freedom is a significant phenomenon and original feature of the Kosovo Liberation Army. It were Adem Jashari, Fehmi Lladrovci, Mujë Krasniqi, Ilaz Kodra, Agim Bajrami and Qamil Ilazi who proved the fact that in the war for freedom patriots before being commanders are warriors, they are leaders of the battles”, said President Thaçi.
President Thaçi said that these commanders, like the numerous martyrs of Kaçanik, like the invalids who gave body parts for Kosovo’s freedom, make us, not only proud, but above all responsible to move their will ahead.