Prime Minister Albin Kurti marked the 19th anniversary of the passing of Kosovo’s historic president, Ibrahim Rugova, by reflecting on Rugova’s peaceful leadership and pivotal role in the internationalization of the Kosovo issue during the 1990s.
Kurti shared personal memories of meeting Rugova twice in 1997, describing him as a calm and steadfast leader devoted to dialogue in politics. He highlighted Rugova’s legacy as the first leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), established in 1989, and Kosovo’s first president, serving from 1992.
“Dr. Ibrahim Rugova played a key role in bringing the Kosovo cause to the international stage in the early 1990s,” Kurti noted. “His consistent calls for freedom, independence, and democracy resonated as an authentic and credible message in European capitals and the United States.”
Kurti emphasized Rugova’s contributions to modern Kosovo, a period spanning from peaceful resistance in the 1990s to institution-building efforts that culminated in Kosovo’s independence declaration in 2008.
“Dr. Rugova left behind a significant political, institutional, and literary legacy, which continues to be studied and celebrated by scholars and critics,” Kurti said. He also mentioned a recent publication by researcher Bejtullah Destani, detailing international media coverage of Rugova in Italian and German press, as a valuable addition to understanding Rugova’s political profile.
The Prime Minister concluded with words of gratitude: “In honor and respect for President Ibrahim Rugova on the 19th anniversary of his passing.”
Rugova remains a symbol of peaceful resistance and a unifying figure in Kosovo’s history, his vision shaping the country’s trajectory toward independence and democratic governance.
