A special ceremony on Ulcinj Day was held today at the Palace of Culture in the coastal city of Montenegro. The city of coexistence, tourism and history welcomed today Prime Rama and Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaci. A special attendee of the ceremony held in honor of the two youngest “citizens” of Ulcinj was the President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanović. The Prime Minister was accompanied by wife Linda Rama. The title with the motivation “For the very important activity and contribution of the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, for the comprehensive intensification of relations between Albania and Montenegro, for the democratic development in the region, the Euro-Atlantic integration and the enhancement of Albanians’ situation in Montenegro” was given today to Prime Minister Rama by the Mayor of Ulcinj, Fatmir Gjeka. The title “Honorary Citizen of Ulcinj” was award also to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci.
Prime Minister Rama thanked the heads of the municipality of Ulcinj for this honor and their hospitality. In addition, he said that Ulcinj is a very important reference point and a very important area for the union between Albanians and Montenegrins, on this path where we altogether want to be part of the European Union. “Ulcinj is always both a very familiar and a very new place. It seem familiar because of the traces of ancient civilizations that are intertwined in the streets of the city, and the legends that absorb you and which, although known to you, you cannot help but experience them again and again. But this is also a quite new place, because of the unparalleled cultural and natural asset that continuously produces energy, and because you have always the feeling to be here for the first time. It is a great pleasure for me to be in this city, especially on this occasion, and I feel privileged for your hospitality and the great honor you are doing me with the title “Honorary Citizen of Ulcinj”. Also, I particularly appreciate the presence of the President of Montenegro in this ceremony that not only unites me with my friend and brother Hashim Thaci, but it unites us all, as Albanians and Montenegrins, in a festive moment that is also a moment to reflect on our common path. In this common path, Ulcinj is without the slightest doubt a very important point of reference and an important area for the union between Albanians and Montenegrins, on this path where we altogether want to be part of the European Union. The Balkans are taking firm steps to determine a new era of peace, so in this new era of peace it is undoubtedly up to us to be protagonists as well as promoters for strengthening peace alliances with each – other. But, specifically Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, bear today a very special burden, because Albanians are today in this region better than they have ever been. At the same time they have the historical responsibility of giving their example in showing respect for others, but also for increasingly enhancing their dignity, as actors responsible for peace, development and integration of the Balkan region”- Mr. Rama said in his address after receiving the title “Honorary Citizen of the Municipality of Ulcinj”.
In addition, the Prime Minister noted that cooperation remains a priority of the Albanian Government, which will continue to protect the rights of Albanian communities and of any Albanian, wherever they are, with the same conviction that it protects the rights of communities and cultures in Albania and across the region. “Especially for this reason, let me say quite frankly that the honor you did me assumes a specific meaning since I share it with Hashim Thaci, a friend and brother of mine who represents a new state; a new state that does not allow that the wounds opened by a war in which Albanians of Kosovo were involved, and which still need to be healed, can undermine the vision for the future, based on a new approach and on an absolutely exemplary behavior for all, according to the best Union European standards for the approach to minorities. Since both of us are representatives of the two Albanian states in the region, this is the best occasion to say here, today, that we have much to learn from the example of Montenegro’s progress towards EU accession. And as cooperate with each – other and learn from each – other, share experiences and ideas on a bilateral or multilateral basis, I believe that this is particularly the point where we can become an indispensable support for one – another. Therefore, I take this opportunity to heartily congratulate, not just President Vujanovic, Prime Minister Djukanovic and the Montenegrin Government on their success on the path of European integration, but every citizen of Montenegro, who inseparably have joined our common path of cooperation and interaction in peace, to transform democratic and economic success in a source of inspiration for the entire region and obviously for every young woman and man in the region, regardless of where they live and the nation they belong”- the Prime Minister said.
Besides highlighting the work done at a national level by the representatives of the Albanian community, Prime Minister Rama highlighted their engagement at a local level to put politics in the service of the community and of the common interest of the municipality. “People of Ulcinj have a saying that goes: “You can tell a sea by the winds”. It seems to me that the wind that is blowing for all of us puts us in front of the obligation to show that we can swim without drowning in a sea of peace, which is of course the sea of many possibilities. The possibilities of cooperation in tourism, infrastructure, trade, not least in the field of energy and education, culture and so on, which are estimated and used jointly with the Government of Montenegro” – Prime Minister Rama continued.
In addition, Prime Minister Rama said that the cooperation started between the governments of Albania and Kosovo must be taken furtherer with the governments and peoples across the region. “We will move forward toward our national unity, but without forgetting that today, in the 21st century, the idea of national unity is the idea of uniting every Albanian in the great family of the European Union. And without a doubt, we are ready to take forward what we are doing together with the Government of Kosovo, as an example of a final removal of borders, barriers and obstacles, as well as an example of a transforming openness to co-ordinate human energies between us, but also with other governments in the region and other peoples of the region. Without even the slightest doubt, we are ready to go further with the government of Montenegro, a country to which we feel very close and to which, despite language differences, we are connected by culture and traditions that seem quite common. We are ready to turn the past into a great lesson for the future and to do in this region, between Albania and Serbia, between Albanians and Serbs, what France and Germany did after World War II when they laid the foundations of an historic transformation that led Europe, which was destroyed by a terrible war, in the project and then the reality of the United Europe”- Prime Minister Rama said.
In the end, the Prime Minister recalled that “There are in Albania many folk songs of Ulcinj and about Ulcinj people. And, as far as I know, there is no wedding party, no celebration or occasion in Shkodra where people don’t sing “I’m in the mood of getting engaged and asking for a girl from Ulcinj”. What I want to say is that this isn’t something that has to do with Albanianism, but it is something that has to do with the Balkans as a region consisting of countries that until recently were considered part of a “powder keg”, but for which time has come to be duly recognized as a “keg of common harmony and joy”. With this extraordinary feeling of experiencing the whole of the Balkans in this small town, I want to express my deepest gratitude for this title and thank you again for your hospitality, and I hope you don’t get me wrong if I say that I’m not in the mood for getting engaged, neither for asking a girl from Ulcinj, but I can say that you cannot help falling in love with this city”- Mr. Rama said.
Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci thanked the state authorities of Montenegro and citizens of Ulcinj for the title awarded and recalled with gratitude their help to the citizens of Kosovo in the years 1998 -99. “Kosovo received the greatest love, the most incomparable love in the summer of 1998 and the summer of 1999, approximately 16 -17 years ago. You hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees back then who were escaping violence and found refuge in you. Let me tell you that Kosovo will never forget this good deed. So I want to thank each and every one of you, I thank every family of Ulcinj, I want to thank the state of Montenegro. Dear President Vujanović, I want to thank you for your role, I want to thank Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, thank you president Gjeka, and I thank all those who hosed the Kosovo families that were forced to leave the country in 1998-1999”, Thaçi said.
Prior to the ceremony, the three senior leaders of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro had a special meeting in the municipality of Ulcinj.
