Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has stated that brothers Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi represent clear evidence of crimes committed by the Serbian state against Albanians, emphasizing that the lack of justice for their killings remains a heavy burden.
Speaking at a commemorative gathering held Thursday evening on the balcony of the Prime Minister’s Office on the 27th anniversary of their deaths, Kurti said that the story of the three brothers is one of patriotism, sacrifice, and dedication to freedom.
He recalled that Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet, who were born in the United States, joined the Kosovo Liberation Army as members of the “Atlantiku” volunteer unit. After the end of the war, they were arrested by Serbian police and killed by the Serbian state apparatus, despite having already served a 15-day prison sentence. Their bodies were discovered in 2001 in a mass grave in Petrovo Sello, Serbia, alongside the remains of other Albanians killed by Serbian forces during the Kosovo war.
“The Bytyqi brothers are clear evidence of Serbia’s crimes against Albanians and, at the same time, of Serbia’s complete lack of willingness to take responsibility for the crimes committed,” Kurti said.
According to him, the passage of time does not diminish the obligation to seek justice.
“On the contrary, every year that passes makes the burden of impunity even heavier,” he stated.
Kurti stressed that Kosovo will continue to demand a full investigation into the case and the punishment of those responsible, noting that the United States has also repeatedly called for justice for this crime.
He also highlighted the symbolic importance of the Bytyqi brothers in relations between Kosovo and the United States.
“The Bytyqi brothers connected the Republic of Kosovo, the Albanian nation, and the United States of America in a special way. They were Albanian and American. Sons of Kosovo and citizens of America. Through their lives and sacrifice, two countries united by historic friendship and commitment to freedom came together,” Kurti said.
At the end of his speech, he said that the Government of Kosovo will continue its efforts to seek truth and justice for the Bytyqi brothers, insisting that both those who ordered the killings and those who carried them out must face justice.
