Ali Ahmeti said in his speech that he shares the title of “honorary citizen” of Tirana with all his comrades-in-arms and with all those who fought and gave their lives for the Albanian flag and language.

Ali Ahmeti recalled the difficulties of the Albanians’ past in Kosovo and North Macedonia and said that he is grateful that Albania “even though it is poor, has kept the Albanians warm”. He also said that many things have already been made easier and he can even be fined if he does not carry the flag in his office in North Macedonia, just as the prime minister in Albania does.

“I would like to thank you, but a wise old man told us a word “Don’t thank each other that you have all worked on your nut, only good work is said about all the work when it is done”. But Albania has really shared bread, salt and heart with us, with all those who are not today, but Kosovo is a state, but the Albanians in Macedonia are the forming state.

I have said universally that when we started the activity, we started it for the unification of the Albanian lands. I have no reservations. Circumstances changed and we changed the strategy by looking at geopolitics, geostrategies and dedicated ourselves to the liberation of Kosovo. Albanians who participated in the Kosovo war were killed in prisons and this situation was uncontrollable.

Today you have Skanderbeg in the center of Tirana, but I also have it in old Skopje. You have the national flag, but I am also punished if I don’t have the Albanian flag in my office, 5000 euros is a fine. We still have a lot of work to do. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for the support that the Albanian state has given us.

I know Tirana in 1991, but I don’t know it in 2024, I get lost in Tirana. I thank you for this honor and Erion I will try to be a disciplined citizen. I share this honor with all my comrades-in-arms, patriots, political prisoners in my country and in Kosovo. I share it with the 3,000 people killed in my country, who were killed for this flag, for this language. You have honored me. I thank you very much, I wish you success in all the endeavors of life”, said Ahmeti.