The Government of Kosovo met on Thursday to mark the 28th anniversary of the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
At the ceremonial meeting, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that he considers the Epic of the KLA the most important event in the contemporary history of Kosovo and a decisive moment in national consciousness and the unity of the people toward freedom and independence, reports KosovaPress.
Kurti emphasized that March 1998 marks a historic turning point, mentioning the resistance of the Jashari family in Prekaz on March 5, 6, and 7 of that year.
“Today we mark the anniversary of the most important event in our contemporary history, the Epic of the Kosovo Liberation Army. It represents a decisive turning point in our national consciousness and in the unity of our people toward freedom and independence. The history of states is built on events that open the path to the future. March 1998 is such an event. In Prekaz, on March 5, 6, and 7, 1998, there was a confrontation that was so unequal, yet so extraordinarily meaningful. In the annals of European history, there is no other case where, for three consecutive days and nights, a patriotic indigenous family resisted a police and occupying state. Although the Jashari family was surrounded many times over by thousands of armed forces equipped with heavy machinery and modern military weapons of the time, they fought and stood until the end, giving their lives for the freedom of all of us. For this family, only one thing mattered: freedom, because nothing else is valuable without it,” Kurti said.
He stated that the towers of the Jashari family were transformed into a fortress, while the family became a symbol of Albanian unity and determination.
“On March 5, 1998, the young members of the family took their positions with courage. The women and girls supplied ammunition without pause; it was a conscious and collective resistance. Their towers were transformed into a fortress, the family into a symbol of Albanian unity and determination, while Prekaz became the center of the popular uprising. After those three days, the war in Kosovo took on a new character, human mobilization increased, and the Kosovo issue gained major international attention. As Rifat Jashari said after this battle, ‘I lost 56 members of my family, but I won the hearts of 7 million Albanians.’ As we commemorate the Epic, we reflect on the responsibility we have toward their sacrifice. The history of the Jashari family should be treated not only historically but also in a multidisciplinary way, to conduct in-depth studies and to ensure education about how this national treasure was created. As a government, we are working to ensure that this history, heritage, and our national value are documented, preserved, and passed on to future generations both in Kosovo and abroad,” Kurti said.
