The three-day commemoration of Adem Jashari, considered by many Albanians as a „legendary commander“ and „father of the nation,“ has begun in Kosovo. The Kosovo government and assembly convened today, alongside a ceremonial session of the North Mitrovica municipal assembly, marking the start of a series of official events.
„Glory to Adem Jashari and the fighters for freedom“ was the central message echoed by the highest municipal officials during the session, which was held without a formal agenda.
Kosovo’s Ministry of Local Government Administration had sent an email to all municipalities a day earlier, instructing them to hold ceremonial sessions in honor of the occasion.
Government-Led Commemorations Without Former KLA Associations
The Kosovo government has organized multiple activities to mark the so-called „Epopee,“ spanning today through the next two days. In all schools within the Kosovo education system, the first class of the day was dedicated to the „Epic of the KLA.“
At 10 a.m., both the Kosovo government and assembly held sessions, while at noon, Kosovo Security Force (KSF) units assembled at the Adem Jashari barracks in Pristina. The day’s events also include indoor soccer and volleyball tournaments in Srbica.
Tomorrow, top officials from Pristina will pay tribute at the Adem Jashari Complex in Prekaz, followed by a memorial academy dedicated to the KLA’s epic.
Notably, unlike in previous years, associations of former KLA members will not be participating in the government’s program, according to Pristina-based media.
This decision follows a February 13 meeting where the KLA Veterans’ Association resolved to organize a separate program marking both the „Epopee“ and the anniversary of Kosovo’s self-declared independence.
North Mitrovica Assembly’s Tribute
At today’s session in North Mitrovica, municipal leaders paid homage to Jashari and the KLA’s legacy.
„Today, we gather to honor and remember one of the most glorious moments in our history—the KLA Epopee, an event that marked a turning point on the path to freedom and independence,“ said Nedžad Ugljanin, Chairman of the Assembly.
Mitrovica Mayor Erden Atić echoed similar sentiments, stating that „the KLA fought for Kosovo’s freedom and independence“ and that „the Jashari family gave everything, including their lives. This heroic act will forever symbolize our people’s struggle for freedom.“
The only brief statement in Serbian—referred to as „the language of the minority communities“—came from Deputy Chairman Skender Sadiku, who remarked, „Today, we commemorate the struggle and sacrifice of the Jashari family for the freedom of a nation. Let us preserve our cherished freedom for future generations. Glory to them.“
Notably absent from the session was Dušan Milunović, the sole Serbian representative in the North Mitrovica Assembly.
Conflicting Historical Narratives
While Adem Jashari is regarded by Albanians as a „legendary commander“ and the „father of the nation,“ Serbian state sources continue to classify him as a terrorist. After a three-day siege on March 5, 6, and 7, 1998, during which he refused to surrender, Serbian police forces killed him in his home in Prekaz, along with his entire family, who had barricaded themselves inside.
According to the Humanitarian Law Center (HLC), of the 58 members of the Jashari family who were buried, 18 were women and 10 were children, the oldest of whom was 16 years old. The only survivor was an 11-year-old girl.
„Serbian police denied any wrongdoing in the attack, claiming they were pursuing ‘terrorists’ who had attacked law enforcement. A police spokesperson dismissed reports of torture as ‘lies and fabrications’ spread by some local and foreign media, stating that ‘the police had never used such methods, nor would they ever,'“ the HLC noted in one of its reports.
Official Serbian police sources offer a different interpretation from the Kosovan narrative:
Adem Jashari, along with his brother Hamëz Jashari, was a leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which official Serbian authorities considered a terrorist group.
The Jashari brothers and their family members were killed because they refused to surrender in the village of Donji Prekaz, east of Srbica, where they lived.
Serbian security forces surrounded the Jashari family home and called for surrender, giving a two-hour deadline. While several dozen civilians surrendered and left the scene, heavy weapons were fired from the Jashari house, resulting in the deaths of two police officers and injuries to three others.
The police then responded with heavy artillery, effectively destroying the Jashari house along with 56 members of the Jashari family.
Kosovan sources state that a total of 59 members of the Jashari family were killed.
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