{"id":113503,"date":"2025-02-17T13:15:36","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T12:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/?p=113503"},"modified":"2025-02-20T13:47:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-20T12:47:42","slug":"independence-is-here-now-its-freedoms-turn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/independence-is-here-now-its-freedoms-turn\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Independence is here. Now it\u2019s freedom\u2019s turn\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"113503\" class=\"elementor elementor-113503\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-70befb3 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"70befb3\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-697ca60\" data-id=\"697ca60\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab049b6 elementor-fixed elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ab049b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1080\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/K2.0-BLACK-LOGO.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-73970\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d512e62 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-fixed elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-wpml-language-switcher\" data-id=\"d512e62\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"wpml-language-switcher.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wpml-elementor-ls\">\n<div\n\t class=\"wpml-ls-statics-shortcode_actions wpml-ls wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown js-wpml-ls-legacy-dropdown\" id=\"lang_sel\">\n\t<ul>\n\n\t\t<li tabindex=\"0\" class=\"wpml-ls-slot-shortcode_actions wpml-ls-item wpml-ls-item-en wpml-ls-current-language wpml-ls-item-legacy-dropdown\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" class=\"js-wpml-ls-item-toggle wpml-ls-item-toggle lang_sel_sel icl-en\" target=\"_blank\">\n                <span class=\"wpml-ls-native icl_lang_sel_native\">ENG<\/span><\/a>\n\n\t\t\t<ul class=\"wpml-ls-sub-menu\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"icl-sq wpml-ls-slot-shortcode_actions wpml-ls-item wpml-ls-item-sq wpml-ls-first-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\" class=\"wpml-ls-link\" target=\"_blank\">\n                            <span class=\"wpml-ls-native icl_lang_sel_native\" lang=\"sq\">SHQ<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"icl-sr wpml-ls-slot-shortcode_actions wpml-ls-item wpml-ls-item-sr wpml-ls-last-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/sr\/\" class=\"wpml-ls-link\" target=\"_blank\">\n                            <span class=\"wpml-ls-native icl_lang_sel_native\" lang=\"sr\">B\/C\/S<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1776147 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1776147\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8d2caac\" data-id=\"8d2caac\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d465e49 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d465e49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1507\" height=\"753\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-113635\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years.jpg 1507w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Feature-17-years-326x163.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1507px) 100vw, 1507px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-af99496 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"af99496\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-268aba8\" data-id=\"268aba8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dbef5aa elementor-align-center elementor-mobile-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dbef5aa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-xs\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/perspectives\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Perspectives <\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bb071e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0bb071e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\u2018Independence is here. Now it\u2019s freedom\u2019s turn\u2019\n<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98fd169 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"98fd169\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Kosovo\u2019s forgotten 1991 declaration of independence.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5193c98 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5193c98\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/author\/shankaremani\/\" target=\"_blank\"> By Shan Karemani <\/a> \u2014 17\/02\/2025<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-340c1df elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"340c1df\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cf934b5\" data-id=\"cf934b5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd6efe2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cd6efe2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">February 17, 2008, was not the first time Kosovo declared its independence. It was the second. The first declaration came on October 19, 1991 \u2014 just a few months after Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, Kosovo\u2019s 1991 declaration of independence has been largely overlooked, overshadowed by the widely-recognized declaration in 2008. It is crucial, however, to revive the memory of the 1991 event before this historic moment fades from our collective consciousness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What transpired in Kosovo that fall, and why is it important to remember?<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Born in 1997 in the U.S., I was 11 years old when Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Like many younger Albanians, I grew up knowing only this moment, unaware that Kosovo had first declared independence in 1991. It w<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">asn\u2019t until the seventh anniversary of Kosovo\u2019s 2008 independence, when my father told me about the 1991 declaration, that I discovered this earlier chapter in our history. \u201cWe should be celebrating that declaration,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a shame that we\u2019ve forgotten it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But before we can understand the 1991 declaration, we must first consider the context. In March 1989, Kosovo was stripped of its autonomy by the Yugoslav state under Slobodan Milo\u0161evi\u0107. This decision resulted in the creation of a brutal apartheid-like system in which Albanians were systematically oppressed. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/balkanwitness.glypx.com\/civil-resistance-in-kosovo.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">90% of Albanians lost their jobs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, forcing them into economic hardship and jeopardizing the survival of their families. State-sponsored violence intensified, and Albanians were left with no choice but to establish parallel institutions to provide governance, education and healthcare.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On July 2, 1990, Kosovo <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.koha.net\/en\/arberi\/osmani-deklarata-kushtetuese-e-2-korrikut-ngjarja-emblematike\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">declared itself an equal republic<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, alongside Yugoslavia\u2019s six other republics. Two months later, on September 7, 1990, the historic Ka\u00e7anik Constitution was adopted, in secrecy under the threat of Serbian repression. It boldly asserted Kosovo\u2019s political and legal identity and laid the foundation for Kosovo\u2019s future statehood, which would officially be proclaimed a year later. Contrary to some misconceptions, the July 2 declaration was not an act of full independence that established Kosovo as a sovereign state. It was a declaration of independence from Serbia, the dominant republic in Yugoslavia, in which Kosovo had been an autonomous province.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c9830bf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c9830bf\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-06e6cbb\" data-id=\"06e6cbb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-716d1c9 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"716d1c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b6e08ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b6e08ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">An overwhelming 99% of voters supported Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-48ec03b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"48ec03b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-8a1cc9c\" data-id=\"8a1cc9c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-162047a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"162047a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fall 1991, after Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, Kosovo also made significant strides toward independence. On September 22, 1991, the Assembly decided to hold a referendum on Kosovo&#8217;s sovereignty and independence. The referendum occurred from September 26 to 30, with 87% of the 1,051,357 eligible voters participating. Participation carried significant risks, and could lead to arrest and imprisonment. Nonetheless, an overwhelming <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.koha.net\/arberi\/para-26-vjetesh-per-kosoven-shtet-sovran-u-deklaruan-mbi-99-per-qind-e-votuesve\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">99% of voters supported Kosovo as a sovereign and independent state<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with only 164 voting against it and 933 ballots declared invalid.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>\u2018Today, we vote for ourselves\u2019<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While researching this moment in Kosovo\u2019s history, I found it quite challenging to access even the most basic information. Much of what I gathered came from Bujku, a newspaper that continued the legacy of the popular Rilindja during the 1990s. Despite repression and censorship, Rilindja persisted for years, serving as a voice for Kosovo Albanians and a key element to Kosovo\u2019s struggle for self-determination, before being <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/reports\/1992\/yugoslavia\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">banned by Serbian authorities in August 1990<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though Bujku is no longer in circulation, a privately-run <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bujku.news\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">website, segmented and created by Kushtrim Visoka<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, has archived most of its reports from that era in a user-friendly system, allowing readers to explore these historical records for themselves.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While reviewing the Bujku archives from late September to October 1991, I came across several striking accounts capturing the emotion and significance of Kosovo\u2019s 1991 independence referendum. They paint a clear picture of a people determined to assert their sovereignty despite serious challenges.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0ff9da0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0ff9da0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4a8e30b\" data-id=\"4a8e30b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-329272e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"329272e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2226\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-113479\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min.png 2226w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-300x65.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-1024x223.png 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-768x167.png 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-1536x334.png 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-2048x445.png 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19910928_1-min-326x71.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2226px) 100vw, 2226px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bd9fbd8\" data-id=\"bd9fbd8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f27b50 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0f27b50\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2202\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-113473\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min.png 2202w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-300x107.png 300w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-1024x366.png 1024w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-768x275.png 768w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-1536x550.png 1536w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-2048x733.png 2048w, https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/BU-19911001_1-min-326x117.png 326w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2202px) 100vw, 2202px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-75b2202 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"75b2202\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-85c8670\" data-id=\"85c8670\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0499cb3 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0499cb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd962c5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dd962c5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">In the village of Henc, Bujku reported that the entire community turned out to vote, including elderly citizens who could barely stand. <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0aa0205 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0aa0205\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e0c9b22\" data-id=\"e0c9b22\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5642397 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5642397\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One such account highlights 105-year-old Tefik Rexhepi of Gelanc\u00eb, Suhareka, who stated that it was the first time in his life he had the chance to vote for Kosovo\u2019s sovereignty, hoping that future generations could live freely in the independent Republic of Kosovo. In the village of Henc, Bujku reported that the entire community turned out to vote, including elderly citizens who could barely stand. Among them were three brothers \u2014 Agushi, Selmani, and Hamdi \u2014 who were all over 70. Agushi, the eldest, stood in line with tears in his eyes, saying, \u201cUntil today, we voted many times, but always for others. Today, we vote for ourselves, for a sovereign and independent Kosovo.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another account from Ferizaj featured 97-year-old Emin Hasani, who described the referendum as a historic moment: the first time in 79 years that Albanians had the chance to freely express their long-suppressed political will. Hasani was likely referencing 1912, the year in which Albania declared its independence. Sabrushe T\u00ebrnava, a mother of three, and Feride T\u00ebrnava, a student from Nakarada, could barely contain their joy as they cast their votes. Bujku reported that the two women hoped to build a free state where they could enjoy life after so much suffering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Notably, Bujku also documented that the referendum transcended ethnic lines. At polling station No. 6 in Ferizaj, \u017divka Sopa, an ethnic Serb, cast her vote \u2014 a noteworthy example of how the referendum, though primarily driven by Albanians, also saw participation from individuals outside the majority community. In Mamusha, a Turkish-majority municipality, approximately 2,500 Turkish residents took part in the referendum. Bosniaks and Roma also cast their votes in favor of an independent Kosovo, illustrating the multiethnic nature of the movement.&nbsp;<\/p><p><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.1px;\">While searching the Bujku archives, I also came across the na<\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.1px;\">me Refik Curri from Hani Elezit, <\/span><span style=\"letter-spacing: -0.1px;\">who was 30 years old when he was arrested on September 28, 1991, for participating in the referendum. I was able to reach him by phone. Curri recalled the day he was arrested:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThey [Serb Yugoslav police officers] put me in the back of a Zastava 101 police car. When we arrived at the station, a crowd of Albanians had already gathered, having heard about my arrest. As the officers stepped out, they began wiping the dust off the car windows \u2014 Hani Elezit, a town known for its large cement factory, was always covered in dust. But they didn\u2019t use just anything to clean the windows \u2014 they used our Albanian national flag. This angered me and the other Albanians.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Independence on Kosovo\u2019s terms<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On October 19, 1991, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/albanica.al\/revista_kosova\/article\/view\/4012\/4085\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">officially declared the referendum results<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, affirming Kosovo\u2019s status as an independent state. With 99.87% of votes in favor and over two-thirds of eligible voters participating, the referendum was a success and an unmistakable expression of the people\u2019s will. Even though it lacked the formal,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> internationally-recognized process of 2008<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the 1991 referendum can be seen as a de-facto declaration of independence and an anti-colonial act. The Assembly\u2019s recognition of the referendum results affirmed Kosovo\u2019s statehood, marking a decisive step in its declaration of independence. Days later, on October 21, 1991, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20120316032633\/http:\/\/www.keshilliministrave.al\/index.php?fq=brenda&amp;m=news&amp;lid=7323&amp;gj=gj2\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Albania became the first and only country to recognize<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the Republic of Kosovo\u2019s independence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following this declaration, Ibrahim Rugova, one of the founders of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), was elected the first president, with Bujar Bukoshi becoming the first prime minister. While calls for independence had been voiced in various ways previously, the LDK played a major role in the 1990s by consolidating Kosovo\u2019s first parallel institutions and leading the political resistance against Serbian rule. The party adopted a strategy of passive resistance, aiming to gain international recognition and avoid direct confrontation with Serbian forces. However, as Serbia\u2019s colonial repression intensified and diplomatic efforts failed to produce tangible results, the limitations of this approach became apparent. By 1997, with the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) making its first public appearance, armed resistance emerged as a critical component of Kosovo\u2019s fight for freedom.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-676f017 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"676f017\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bea970a\" data-id=\"bea970a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9cff451 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"9cff451\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4bfaa52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4bfaa52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The 1991 declaration was entirely people-powered and was an act of defiance that affirmed Kosovo Albanians\u2019 moral dignity after decades of systematic oppression.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-afe43ab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"afe43ab\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4d53fce\" data-id=\"4d53fce\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2509ad9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2509ad9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1991 declaration carries far greater significance than the one that followed in 2008. The 1991 declaration was entirely people-powered and was an act of defiance that affirmed Kosovo Albanians\u2019 moral dignity after decades of systematic oppression. Independence was claimed on Kosovo\u2019s own terms, rooted in collective struggle and self-determination, long before Western-imposed frameworks of \u201csupervised independence\u201d and international negotiations set the conditions for statehood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By contrast, the 2008 declaration, while important for securing international recognition, was shaped more by external <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.syri.net\/syri_kosova\/op-ed\/210778\/urime-vetevendosje-ne-tirane-e-gjithandej\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">compromises than by the will of the people<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The framework proposed by figures like Martti Ahtisaari may have partially legitimized our independence in the eyes of the world, but it also risked diminishing the sacrifices of the 1990s. During this period, Kosovo endured brutal oppression in a racist, colonial police state where the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lajmishqip.net\/avokati-dhe-intelektuali-serb-srdja-popovic-shqiptartet-e-kosoves-bene-nje-lufte-clirimtare-video\/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIDn4NleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHQosBKyXCf7kDLG_SqVqKMmh92bzYac8farTJQxUwBb91h6K8PyU-abJMQ_aem_3UcN_u4TJKUgoqFThRsYHA\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">killing of Albanians went unpunished<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet, we demonstrated the dignity and determination to declare our independence on our own terms. We established parallel systems with our own leaders, schools, clinics and media \u2014 not because we were physically free, but because we refused to wait for freedom to be granted. In other words, independence wasn\u2019t given to us \u2014 we claimed it in 1991, even if only Albania recognized it at the time.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Voting despite the risks<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I can\u2019t help but think of people like Rexhepi, who, having lived through the Balkan Wars of 1912-13 and both world wars, went out for the first time to vote for an independent Kosovo at age 105. His vote, along with countless others, represents not just the desire for independence but a lifetime of struggle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What about those who risked everything to vote in secret, knowing the danger they faced from the police? Many everyday citizens \u2014<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Zymrie Aliu, Selami Latifi, Abdyrrahim Mahmuti, Rrahim Morina, Banush Krasniqi, Ali Berisha, Arsim Sejdiu, Hajrie Morina and many others <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014 were arrested while trying to cast their votes. These individuals who sacrificed their safety are just as integral to our history as any official declaration. By ignoring 1991, we overlook their bravery and the essential role they played in shaping Kosovo\u2019s future.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9c59929 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9c59929\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-912623b\" data-id=\"912623b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e60838d elementor-arrows-position-outside elementor-pagination-position-outside elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-carousel\" data-id=\"e60838d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;slides_to_show&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;navigation&quot;:&quot;both&quot;,&quot;autoplay&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_hover&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;pause_on_interaction&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;autoplay_speed&quot;:5000,&quot;infinite&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;effect&quot;:&quot;slide&quot;,&quot;speed&quot;:500}\" data-widget_type=\"image-carousel.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel-wrapper swiper-container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-carousel swiper-wrapper\" aria-live=\"off\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"1 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991-5.png\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"2 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991-6.png\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"3 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991.jpg\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"4 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991-2.jpg\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"5 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991-3.jpg\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"swiper-slide\" role=\"group\" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" aria-label=\"6 of 6\"><figure class=\"swiper-slide-inner\"><img class=\"swiper-slide-image\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/newspaper-1991-4.png\" alt=\"All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.\" \/><figcaption class=\"elementor-image-carousel-caption\">All photos courtesy of Kushtrim Visoka \/ bujku.news.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-prev\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-left\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-swiper-button elementor-swiper-button-next\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"eicon-chevron-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"swiper-pagination\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ec5f9b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5ec5f9b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2afce4c\" data-id=\"2afce4c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a92e17b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a92e17b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While researching this topic, I became curious if there were others in Kosovo who have been writing about this.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> I typed relevant keywords into Google, hoping to find something, but had no luck. It appeared that the 1991 declaration was not widely-recognized in mainstream historical discussions. Then, to my surprise, I came across <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/19pJMBQL8d\/?mibextid=wwXIfr\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a random yet fascinating Facebook post by someone named Adnan Mustafa<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, written on the eighth anniversary of Kosovo\u2019s \u201cofficial\u201d Independence Day, February 17, 2008.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His post states: \u201cThat day [February 17, 2008], I went out to celebrate with my family for one reason only: to make the children happy. For me, independence was declared by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo following the Referendum for Independence on October 19, 1991. That is the true independence. February 17th is just a media-driven independence.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mustafa\u2019s post resonated with me, and I was eager to contact him to ask not only about his perspective, but also about his experiences during the September 1991 referendum and subsequent declaration of independence. Unfortunately, I later learned that he passed away in 2017.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I was unable to get in touch with Mustafa\u2019s family, but got in contact with a friend of his, Pal Bala. I met Bala in a cafe in Prishtina and he expressed to me that Kosovar politicians made a mistake in 2008 by not referencing the 1991 referendum in the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on February 17, 2008. He argued that rather than being labeled a declaration of independence, it should have been recognized as a reconfirmation of the people&#8217;s authentic decision in 1991.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding our two different independence days, some might point out that Kosovo and its people were in a much better situation in 2008. They might argue that the 1991 declaration didn\u2019t lead to true independence and that life for Albanians in Kosovo in the next years was brutal. However, this perspective overlooks not only the symbolic and dignified nature of the 1991 declaration but also fails to recognize that many countries declared their independence long before they actually achieved full freedom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b3fd99c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b3fd99c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-35c61cf\" data-id=\"35c61cf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b77c9d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"6b77c9d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f4b138 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9f4b138\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">This captures the essence of how people viewed the 1991 declaration: independence had been claimed, but true freedom was still to be realized.\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-73756a0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"73756a0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-901dd41\" data-id=\"901dd41\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-698f671 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"698f671\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates its independence on March 1 (1992), despite the horrors that followed, including the genocide committed by Bosnian Serbs in Srebrenica and the four-year siege of Sarajevo. The U.S., which celebrates its independence on July 4 (1776), was not fully sovereign and independent until the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/milestone-documents\/treaty-of-paris\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treaty of Paris in 1783<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interestingly, while checking the Bujku<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">archives, I came across a newspaper clipping from September 29, 1991, the fourth day of the referendum. The subheadline reads: \u201cWhat kind of freedom is it where you have to vote in secret? \u2014 Independence is here. Now it\u2019s freedom\u2019s turn.\u201d This captures the essence of how people viewed the 1991 declaration: independence had been claimed, but true freedom was still to be realized.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In his essay \u201cNotes for a Hypothetical Novel,\u201d part of his \u201cNobody Knows My Name\u201d collection,\u00a0 renowned African-American writer and civil rights activist <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.themarginalian.org\/2016\/05\/09\/james-baldwin-freedom\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">James Baldwin beautifully writes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cFreedom is not something that anybody can be given; freedom is something people take.\u201d We took our freedom on October 19, 1991. February 17, 2008, and the days that followed, was when much of the world finally acknowledged what we had already claimed for ourselves 16 years earlier.<\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><b>Feature image:\u00a0<\/b><b> Majlinda Hoxha \/ K2.0<\/b><\/p><p><b>Editor\u2019s note (February 20, 2025):<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The original version of this piece included a sentence stating that the Assembly of Kosovo was dissolved in 1989. That sentence has been removed, as the Assembly was dissolved in 1990.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-98eb682 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"98eb682\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bcee836\" data-id=\"bcee836\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7bf946b elementor-widget-divider--view-line_icon elementor-view-default elementor-widget-divider--element-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7bf946b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon elementor-divider__element\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" id=\"Layer_1\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" viewBox=\"0 0 659 627\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 659 627;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><style type=\"text\/css\">\t.st0{fill:#FDE801;}\t.st1{fill:#363635;}<\/style><g>\t<path class=\"st0\" d=\"M652.9,260.8c-0.3,0.7-0.6,1.7-0.9,2.6c-35.8,100.2-71.7,200.4-107.4,300.6c-0.9,2.7-2.1,3.9-5.1,4.4  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d=\"M410.7,355.7c6.9-16.8,14.8-32.8,19.4-50c2.4-9,0.7-11-8.3-12.1c-1-0.1-2-0.2-3-0.3c-1.3-0.1-2.2-0.6-2.2-2.1  c0-1.5,0.8-2.1,2.2-2.1c12,0,24,0,36,0c1.1,0,1.9,0.5,2,1.7c0.1,1.1-0.1,2-1.3,2.4c-0.6,0.2-1.3,0.4-2,0.3  c-10.1-0.6-14.5,6.1-17.6,14.1c-10.3,26.5-20.6,52.9-30.9,79.4c-0.6,1.5-1.2,3.1-1.8,4.6c-4.6,12.2-4.6,12-17.4,12.1  c-3.5,0-4.8-1.4-6-4.4C368,368.8,356,338.2,344,307.6c-0.5-1.2-1.1-2.4-1.5-3.7c-2.1-7.1-6.5-10.9-14.2-10.7  c-1.3,0-3.7,0.7-3.5-2.2c0.2-2.7,2.4-1.8,3.8-1.8c23.3-0.1,46.6-0.1,70,0c1.4,0,3.7-1,4,1.6c0.4,3.1-2.2,2.3-3.8,2.6  c-7.6,1.5-9.7,3.6-7.5,10C397.6,321,404.3,338.3,410.7,355.7z\"><\/path>\t<path class=\"st1\" d=\"M311,341c0,15.1,0,30.3,0,45.4c0,9.6,1.5,11.1,11,12.3c1.5,0.2,4.2-1.1,4.2,1.9c0,3.3-2.9,2.1-4.5,2.1  c-22.8,0.1-45.6,0.1-68.4,0.1c-0.8,0-1.7,0-2.5,0c-1.4,0-2.1-0.6-2.2-2.1c0-1.6,1-1.9,2.3-1.9c13.1,0,13.1-4.4,13.1-15.9  c0-25.1,0-50.3,0-75.4c0-1.3,0-2.7-0.2-4c-0.8-7.8-2-8.8-9.7-9.9c-2.2-0.3-6.5,1.4-6.2-2.6c0.3-3.9,4.4-1.8,6.6-1.8  c17.3-0.2,34.6,0,51.9-0.2c3.5,0,4.5,1,4.4,4.5c-0.2,15.8-0.1,31.6-0.1,47.4C310.9,341,310.9,341,311,341z\"><\/path>\t<path class=\"st1\" d=\"M287.2,272.1c-13.6,0.1-23.7-9.8-23.6-22.9c0.1-12.6,10.1-22.2,23.2-22.3c13.7-0.1,24.2,9.7,24,22.6  C310.7,262.2,300.4,272.1,287.2,272.1z\"><\/path>\t<path class=\"st0\" d=\"M515.2,335.6c-4,0-8-0.1-12,0c-2.7,0.1-3.4-0.9-3.4-3.4c0.2-10,0.7-19.9,3.1-29.6c2-8,5.5-11.4,11.6-11.5  c7.2-0.2,11.6,3.2,13.9,11c3.1,10.2,2,20.8,2.4,31.2c0.1,2.2-1.1,2.4-2.8,2.4C523.9,335.6,519.6,335.6,515.2,335.6z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-173675d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"173675d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2e0b4d7\" data-id=\"2e0b4d7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e85d7fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-104647 elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e85d7fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><em>D\u00ebshironi t\u00eb mb\u00ebshtetni gazetarin\u00eb ton\u00eb?<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p>N\u00eb Kosovo 2.0, p\u00ebrpiqemi t\u00eb jemi shtyll\u00eb e gazetaris\u00eb s\u00eb pavarur e me cil\u00ebsi t\u00eb lart\u00eb, n\u00eb nj\u00eb epok\u00eb ku \u00ebsht\u00eb gjithnj\u00eb e m\u00eb sfiduese t\u2019i mbash k\u00ebto standarde dhe ta ndjek\u00ebsh t\u00eb v\u00ebrtet\u00ebn dhe llogaridh\u00ebnien pa u frik\u00ebsuar. P\u00ebr ta siguruar pavar\u00ebsin\u00eb ton\u00eb t\u00eb vazhdueshme, po prezantojm\u00eb HIVE, modelin ton\u00eb t\u00eb ri t\u00eb an\u00ebtar\u00ebsimit, i cili u ofron atyre q\u00eb e vler\u00ebsojn\u00eb gazetarin\u00eb ton\u00eb, mund\u00ebsin\u00eb t\u00eb kontribuojn\u00eb e b\u00ebhen pjes\u00eb e misionit ton\u00eb.<\/p><p><em>An\u00ebtar\u00ebsohuni n\u00eb \u201cHIVE\u201d ose konsideroni nj\u00eb donacion.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ff93887\" data-id=\"ff93887\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b972cd5 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"b972cd5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/complete-support\/?type=subscription&#038;package_id=basic&#038;duration=three-month\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Basic<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dbad4b3 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dbad4b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/complete-support\/?type=subscription&#038;package_id=standard&#038;duration=three-month\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Standard<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9b160df elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"9b160df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/complete-support\/?type=subscription&#038;package_id=premium&#038;duration=three-month\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Premium<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ae1dc1 elementor-align-justify elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4ae1dc1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/support-us\/\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">One time donation<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ENG SHQ B\/C\/S Perspectives \u2018Independence is here. Now it\u2019s freedom\u2019s turn\u2019 Kosovo\u2019s forgotten 1991 declaration of independence. By Shan Karemani&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":937,"featured_media":113635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[96],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113503"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/937"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113503"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":113910,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113503\/revisions\/113910"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.kosovotwopointzero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}