Kosovo marked the 147th anniversary of the Albanian League of Prizren with an official ceremony held today in the historic city of Prizren. The event was attended by senior Kosovo officials and dignitaries from Albania, including Albanian President Bajram Begaj, who was this year’s guest of honor.
The commemorative ceremony, traditionally held every June 10, was described by Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti as a tribute to the League’s political and historical significance.
“In the League of Prizren we find both the spirit of resistance through petitions and protests, and the volunteer military drive to defend Albanian lands from neighboring armies,” Kurti stated.
Totaj: The League Opposed the Division of Albanian Territories
The ceremony began with an address by the Mayor of Prizren, Shaqir Totaj, who underscored the League’s foundational message:
“On June 10, 1878, the fathers of our nation gathered in this city to declare: we are Albanians, we have our land, language, and culture, and we do not accept being divided.”
Totaj described the League as “the first strategic project to unite Albanians,” which helped ignite the broader struggle for independence and freedom.
“The League of Prizren was more than a political organization — it was the awakening of our identity.”
Kurti: A Political Rebirth and Affirmative Peace Project
Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti highlighted the League as “the most important point of the National Albanian Awakening movement,” framing it as a “national political rebirth” and “an affirmative peace project.”
He emphasized that the slogan of the annual commemoration — “The League is alive” — has never changed:
“Through the League, Albanians uniquely expressed who they were and their place within international political reality. Despite suppression, the League remains alive as an example of resolve and mission in the history of Albanians’ legitimate political aspirations.”
Kurti reiterated that the League unified Albanians beyond religious, regional, and tribal lines under a common national political project — calling for an independent Albanian vilayet within the Ottoman Empire’s European territory (Rumelia).
He added that the League’s vision aligned with the modern European principle that every nation should have its own state.
“They did not seek independence to dominate others, but to be equal among others.”
Osmani from Japan: Foundation of National Awareness
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, currently visiting Japan, sent a message marking the occasion.
“The Albanian League of Prizren is the foundation of our national consciousness and the forerunner of independence,” she stated.
Osmani recalled the League as the unifying voice of Albanians in difficult times and paid tribute to historical figures such as Abdyl Frashëri and Sylejman Vokshi.
Haradinaj: A Turning Point on the Path to Freedom
Former Prime Minister and AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj, also attended the ceremony. He described the League as a continuation of the struggle that would eventually lead to Kosovo’s liberation:
“On June 10, 1878, Albanians united to defend their lands by founding the first political organization of Albanian vilayets — the League of Prizren. It was a turning point on the long path to freedom.”
He expressed gratitude to those who carried the vision of the League forward, culminating in the Kosovo Liberation Army’s role in 1999.
Historical Context and Contested Narratives
According to Albanian historical interpretation, the League of Prizren was founded following the end of the Russo-Turkish War and the Berlin Congress to prevent the partition of Albanian-populated areas between Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece.
The League began as an Ottoman-loyalist initiative aimed at preserving territorial integrity, later evolving into a movement advocating for Albanian autonomy and, eventually, independence declared in 1912 in Vlora.
However, some Serbian historians emphasize that the League’s formation marked the beginning of the concept of a Greater Albania, aimed at uniting Albanian-majority regions.
“Initially, League leaders were loyal to the Ottoman Empire,” historian Petar Ristanović told KoSSev in a previous interview, noting that the League’s demands evolved over time, from autonomy to independence.
The League opposed the ceding of Gusinje and Plav to Montenegro, which led to armed conflict. It also began resisting Ottoman efforts to reassert control in Kosovo, with uprisings occurring in 1884, and again around 1910, before the final collapse of Ottoman rule in the Balkan Wars of 1912.
The legacy of the League remains a contested symbol — viewed by many Albanians as the birthplace of national consciousness and statehood, and by others as the beginning of nationalist territorial claims in the region.
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