Rama: There would be independence without KLA Rugova

Pristina Mayor Progress Rama, on the 15th anniversary of Kosovo's Independence, has cited the contribution of former President Rugova and the Kosovo Liberation Army for marking this day, saying Kosovo would not be what is without this contribution.

Rama, at the solemn session of the Capital Assembly, has, among other things, mentioned difficult times when Kosovo was under former Yugoslav rule.

“Today is the most special day of the year for our people because we celebrate the anniversary of Kosovo's proclamation, independent state. All of us in this room are old enough to remember the former Yugoslav system, we've had more and less, difficult childhood”.

All of us in those days faced the trauma of captivity in which we grew up with hopes and dreams for the future, yet in our history of the entire last century, even since Kosovo was cut off from Albania after the Ottomans resigned from our lands, there hasn't been another lucky generation than we are here today”

Rama has said that former President Rugova has worked hard for Kosovo's independence, so we should remember it in days like these.

Rugova's version of independent Kosovo was based on principles of democracy, human rights and peaceful co-existence with neighbouring countries. For the realization of this goal, Dr. Rugova engaged in numerous diplomatic and professional missions on the international stage. He worked without ever stopping to build support for Kosovo's independence between Western countries and international organisations. So today when we mark the 15th anniversary of our country's independence, it's a shooting day and I remember the extraordinary contribution of our most difficult-time leader, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, who will rightly recognise young generations as the historic president of Kosovo”.

Rama has said that extraordinary contributions have also been made by the Kosovo Liberation Army, without which Kosovo would not be where it is today.

And remember that on a day like this, when we mark the 15th anniversary of our country's independence, we also remember the unique role of the Kosovo Liberation Army, this army of brave men and women who were dangerously willing even to live our century-old dream, the liberation of Kosovo from the Serb yoke in the 90th”.

“U n The CK received a series of campaigns against Serb forces in Kosovo, including guerrilla warfare and frontal warfare. Had it not been the KLA and NATO would not intervene”, Rama has said. / EO