The mayor of a predominantly Serbian municipality in northern Kosovo, Lulzim Hetemi from the Self-Determination party, expressed his gratitude towards the members of the Albanian organization “Illyrian Eagles” who visited him in his office. Hetemi stated that their visit brought „warmth and a different perspective“ to „our red-and-black municipality“.
“I had the pleasure of receiving the members of the Illyrian Eagles in my office yesterday. They brought warmth and a different perspective to our red-and-black municipality. I am very grateful that they visited me and expressed their desire to learn about all the obstacles and challenges we have faced from the beginning until today”, Hetemi said.
Lulzim Hetemi came to power, like his other Albanian compatriots in the four northern municipalities, after Serbs left most of the Kosovo institutions nearly two years ago.
The “Illyrian Eagles,” presented as an Albanian-German organization, was established on November 28, 2016, in Karlsruhe, Germany. Led by Sabi Kaçanolli, the group advocates for the idea of a “Greater Albania” and the unification of Albanians worldwide. This motto is frequently featured in their social media posts.
„‘Greater Albania was, is, and will be; Albania has deep roots, and one day Albania will blossom on this planet,“ is one of the messages promoted by this organization through social media.
In their description of activities, the “Illyrian Eagles” emphasize their unity through Albanian tradition, and their work includes preserving Albanian values in the diaspora. Media outlets such as Bota Sot report that the organization is recognized for its members wearing uniforms that display symbols of Albanian culture and history, including portraits of Skenderbeg and Adem Jashari.
Kaçanolli explained to Bota Sot that local authorities in Germany were initially wary of the group, concerned about whether they might be a terrorist organization or anti-democratic. However, once it was clear that the group comprised law-abiding citizens and workers who respected local laws, their reputation improved. This positive image was further enhanced by a humanitarian act where Kaçanolli personally traveled to Ukraine to rescue a girl from a war-torn area, an effort that received media attention and contributed to the good reputation of the “Illyrian Eagles” and Albanians in general.
In addition to their humanitarian efforts, the “Illyrian Eagles” have expressed gratitude to Germany for their support, and they have voiced a desire to one day celebrate Albanian Unification Day, similar to how Germans celebrate their reunification.
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