In a social media post, Bajram Begaj, President of Albania, marked the 27th anniversary of the Račak Massacre, stating that the atrocity must never be forgotten and that the call for justice cannot be extinguished.

According to the head of state, the denunciation by Ambassador William Walker raised international awareness of the genocide taking place in Kosovo.

“Today we commemorate the Račak Massacre and honor its martyrs. Its denunciation 27 years ago by Ambassador William Walker awakened the international community to the genocide unfolding in Kosovo. That awareness led to the Rambouillet Conference, NATO intervention, freedom, the statehood of Kosovo, and the peace we enjoy together today. This massacre must not be forgotten. The call for justice cannot be silenced. Honor to the martyrs. Gratitude to our strategic ally, the United States,” Begaj wrote.

Kosovo is marking the 27th anniversary of the Račak Massacre, one of the most tragic events in the country’s history. On January 15, 1999, Serbian forces killed 45 Albanian civilians in the village of Račak in the municipality of Shtime—an act that shocked not only Kosovo but the world.