“Europe of the Year 2022” Fahrije Hoti accepts award from Ambassador Szunyog

“This is the seventh consecutive year the EU shared this award in Kosovo a person who has contributed mostly to promoting European values” over the past twelve months, reportedly in the media report.

The nominated for the 2022 Award were:
Mrs. Behare Bajraktari, founder of “BB Green Kosova”,
Mrs. Fahrije Hoti, founder of “Agricultural Cooperativa Krusha”,
Mrs. Jovana Radosavljevicić, founder of “New Social Initiative”,
Mr. Samir Karahoda, filmmaker and short film programmer at “DokuFest”, and
Mrs. Sebahate Hajdini, executive director of “Down Syndrome Kosova”.

While the nominated proposed to the EU family in Kosovo, it is the people of Kosovo who chose the winner. All five candidates, four of whom are women, have created the highest interest in this award so far, with about 15,000 votes in social media.

This is evidence of the important role women play in society and of their outstanding contribution to progress in all areas of life.

I'm honored to award the “Europe of the Year 2022” Hoti and I want to thank Mrs. The bartender, Mrs. Radosavljevic, Mr. Karahoda and Mrs. Hajdini for their daily contribution to improving Kosovo society”, Ambassador Szunyog said.

“Taking care of their society and doing what is important for its members, they are directly supporting Kosovo on its European path, and as such they are all models to follow. I hope that more people in Kosovo follow in the footsteps of our current and previous Victors and nominals of the “Evropian of the Year”, and I hope the award for Mrs. Hoti will help in this direction”, he added.

Hoti's online nomination profile points out:

Fahriye Hoti is the best example of how a painful experience can be transformed into courage and endurance. After the war, which took her husband along with 243 men and boys from her village, she and all the other Krusha women faced extraordinary problems in raising children without any income. Today, Fahrija owns the proud owner of “Krusha”, a company that employs 50 women, which handles the production of many types of pickles and ajvars. Its inspiring story made him the leading character of the film “Rested”, nominated for the “Oscar”.

The previous winners of the “Europian annual” prize are:

2021: Armend Shaban, chairman of the Association of Mathematics,
2020: Lul Raka, professor of microbiology at Pristina University,
- 2019. Visar Ramajli, director of the company “KIVO”,
) 2018: Dr. Neziray, director of Multimedia Center,
) 2017: Erzen Shkololli, curator and artist, and
) 2016: Majlinda Kelmendi, Olympic champion in judo.

“The EU in Kosovo helps Kosovo progress on its European path”, the report said.