Former US President Bill Clinton was awarded the Great Star of Public Gratitude medal, the highest honour bestowed by an Albanian Prime Minister, during a visit to Tirana on Monday, where he also called for an end to ‘nonsense’ in north Kosovo.
Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States of America, is widely revered in Kosovo and Albania due to his part in ending the Kosovo-Serbia war and his stance of support towards Kosovar Albanians.
In a ceremony at the Prime Minister’s Office in the centre of Tirana, attended by Euractiv, Prime Minister Edi Rama awarded Clinton the medal and explained its significance.
“You have been with us for a long time, today you are among us to remind us of the lessons from a not-too-distant history to confirm America’s re-commitment to our peace and once again to call us to hope,” Rama said.
Previous recipients of the medal include former German chancellor Angela Merkel and former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Rama addressed the crowd of diplomats, politicians, media, and citizens and spoke of Kosovo’s past, crediting Clinton with making the liberation of Kosovo and the Balkans possible.
“It can be said, I believe, without fear, that half a million Kosovar refugees who, under the bloody frenzy of Belgrade, came to seek salvation in Albania could never have returned home,” Rama said, referring to the mass exodus of Kosovar Albanians that received temporary refuge in Albania during the war.
He also referenced Clinton’s famous speech on 24 March 1999, announcing that US and NATO forces started air strikes against Serbian forces “which are responsible for the brutality practised in Kosovo,” calling it “a defining stone of the path of the future”.
During his speech, Clinton expressed concern about the ongoing tensions in the north of Kosovo. He asked the Kosovo government to step back and show the world “what an inclusive future looks like,” referring to the Serb minority rights issue in the four northern municipalities.
“There is a dispute in Kosovo that I wish had never happened. It is no longer my decision, but the Kosovars created those four towns in favour of the Serbs to give them four more mayors. So I think they made a mistake not to come out and vote,” he said, referring to the recent elections, called after Serb officials resigned en masse and then refused to participate in elections to replace them, leading to the election of ethnic Albanian mayors.
“I think it is easy for the Albanians, now in the majority, to try to take advantage of the moment to present their argument, but the real thing we need to do is to stop this nonsense,” he said.
But Clinton noted that it was nonsense that citizens had to be told to vote, referring to the boycott of the vote and running as candidates called for by Belgrade.
During the ceremony, Clinton was also greeted by 12 youngsters who had all been named in honour of him- Bill, Bill Clinton, Clinton, or his wife, Hilary.
“I am Clintonite from Peja. My aunt gave me your family’s name to show gratitude for what you have done for us to gain independence and be a democratic country. You are why today we have freedom and peace”, said one of the youngsters.
“I am Klinton Berisha; I am very honoured to keep your family’s surname as my name”, said another.
(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)
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Source: euractiv.com
