Dielli | The Sun

Albanian American Newspaper Devoted to the Intellectual and Cultural Advancement of the Albanians in America | Since 1909

On May 14th in Albania, vote for change

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By Harry Bajraktari/

The upcoming local elections of May 14th, in Albania, are among the most important in the recent memory. 

After eight years, Albanians will finally have a chance to choose among a plurality of candidates for mayors and municipality councils. 

This is an important return to democracy and Albanians should not miss the chance to vote for their favorite candidates and parties. This is a chance for the people to have their voices matter. I call on all Albanians to exercise their sacred right and vote. 

This is also a good chance to end the domination of the political and public life in Albania by the Socialist Party. They have had plenty of time to implement their vision and the achievements are simply not there. 

The Socialists have been running the country practically a one-party system. They ruled nearly all the municipalities and now are using state resources for the electoral campaign.

There can be no successful economy, no true justice, no guaranteed future under an autocratic regime. You cannot expect to join the family of the Western democracies as a one-party system. 

Pluralism and rotation of power is essential for a democracy and the Socialists have overstayed their welcome in power. Too much political and state power has been accumulated on the hands of one man alone. Now, the country needs a strong signal of change.

The best way to achieve this is to vote for the largest opposition group: Together We Win coalition, led by former Prime Minister Dr. Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta. Other opposition parties have good candidates as well however, I am afraid that a vote for those parties is a wasted vote and only helps the Socialists win again.

More importantly, the candidates of the Together We Win coalition were all elected through American-style primaries unlike those of other parties who are appointees of party bosses. This is democracy in action. 

On May 14th, vote for the candidate elected by the people, not those of the political bosses. Vote for the future of your children and grandchildren! Vote for the future of Albania. Bring back democracy and serve by example for the entire Albanian nation.

On May 14th, vote for change! Give democracy a chance!

Harry Bajraktari is founder and publisher of Illyria newspaper (1991-1998), an Albanian-American community leader, philanthropist, and recipient of many awards, including the Honor of the Nation Order by the President of Albania, Kosova’s Presidential Medal for Merits, and the White House Presidential Call to Service Award.

15 vjet më parë ëndrra u bë realitet

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Kur e nisëm punën në Washington, gati askush nuk dinte emrin Kosovë – lavdi e respekt për ata që punuan pa u lodhur e ata që sakrifikuan gjithshka që të vinte kjo ditë e madhe e pavarësisë

Nga Harry Bajraktari

Isha djalë i ri kur bashkë me familjen u detyruam të ikim nga Kosova dhe pas një qendrimi të shkurtër në Itali, u vendosëm përfundimisht në SHBA.

Kosova në atë kohë ishte pjesë e Jugosllavisë dhe shqiptarët ishin të diskriminuar. 

U rrita në Amerikë, formova familjen time, hapa biznesin tim, por mendjen e kishim gjithmonë te Kosova. Prindërit, Metë dhe Zisa Bajraktari, na kishin rritur me dashuri për atdheun e asnjëherë nuk u ndamë me zemër nga vendlindja.

Ëndërronim se një ditë Kosova do të bëhej e lirë dhe e pavarur, por ishte vetëm ëndërr.

Në fakt, situata në Kosovë vetëm sa po keqësohej. Dhuna e vitit 1981, heqja e autonomisë në 1989, largimi nga puna e gati gjithë popullsisë shqiptare. Shqiptarët e Amerikës nuk mund të rrinin duarkryq.

U bashkova me përpjekjet e disa miqve shqiptaro-amerikanë si vëllezërve Bitici, Prof. Sami Repishti, Jim Xhema, e të tjerë që po lobonin bashkë me kongresistin Dioguardi në Washington. Kishim zbuluar se Kosova pothuaj nuk njihej fare si emër. Por kishim gjetur edhe miq që ishin gati të na dëgjonin dhe ndihmonin, si Senatori Bob Dole, Senatori Al D’Amato, kongresisti Tom Lantos. 

Zona ku punoja kishte zgjedhur një kongresist të ri dhe shkova ta takoj. Quhej Eliot Engel. I fola për Kosovën dhe më dëgjoi e më premtoi se do të na ndihmonte. Më kërkoi më shumë informacion dhe ia dërgova. 

Shpejt u bëmë miq të ngushtë e filluam një bashkëpunim që vazhdoi më shumë se tre dekada.

Në vitin 1991, bashkë me partnerin në biznes Rrustem Gecaj themelova gazetën “Illyria” që ta ndihmonim edhe më shumë Kosovën dhe çështjen kombëtare.

Presidentin Rugova sa herë që vinte në SHBA e mbaja si mik në shtëpi dhe e shoqëroja në takimet në Washington. Po ashtu edhe me shumë miq të asaj kohe si Dr. Alush Gashi e plot të tjerë.

Themeluam degën e LDK-së në SHBA, më pas Këshillin Kombëtar Shqiptaro Amerikan etj.

Gjatë atyre viteve të vështira shumë herë jemi zhgënjyer e mërzitur. Por asnjëherë nuk e kemi humbur besimin se liria dhe pavarësia do të vinin.

Kur babai vdiq në 1998, më la amanet që ta vazhdoja punën për Kosovën deri në fund. Në varrimin e tij, kongresisti Engel premtoi se liria për Kosovën po vinte. Engel ishte nga ata miq të rrallë që asnjëherë nuk hoqi dorë nga kërkesa për pavarësi e Kosovës, edhe kur zyrtarët amerikanë na thonin se nuk mund të ketë ndarje.

Pa qëndresën e madhe të popullit shqiptar në Kosovë, pa udhëheqjen e urtë dhe të mënçur të Presidentit Ibrahim Rugova, pa luftën heroike të Ushtrisë Çlirimtare të Kosovës, pa ndihmën dhe lobimin e diasporës, dhe pa ndihmën e miqve tanë të mëdhenj në Washington, nuk do të kishte as liri dhe as pavarësi të Kosovës.

Jam krenar që më dha Zoti mundësinë të jetoj në Amerikë e të jap kontribut për Kosovën dhe kombin shqiptar.

15 vjet më parë kur pavarësia u bë realitet dy njerëz të rëndësishëm për mua nuk jetonin më. Babai im Metë Bajraktari dhe miku im Presidenti Ibrahim Rugova. Është i vetmi peng që kam që ata nuk jetuan ta shohin ngjarjen e madhe.

Sot, me rastin e këtij përvjetori i falenderoj të gjithë miqtë e mi shqiptaro-amerikanë dhe nuk kursyen asgjë për kauzën e kombit tonë shqiptar. Falenderoj familjen që më ndihmoi që të angazhohem për Kosovën dhe për kombin. Falenderoj miqtë e ngushtë amerikanë, sidomos mikun tim ish-Kryetarin e Komitetit të Punëve të Jashtme në Kongres, Eliot Engel, për këmbënguljen dhe dedikimin për lirinë dhe pavarësinë e Kosovës.

Gëzuar popullit të Kosovës. Urime 15-vjetori! Mos e harroni rëndësinë e lidhjes me komunitetin shqiptar në Amerikë dhe me aleaten tonë të madhe Amerikën.

Zoti e bekoftë Republikën e Pavarur të Kosovës!

Harry Bajraktari është themeluesi dhe ish-botues i gazetës “Illyria” (1991-1998). Ai është një veprimtar, biznesmen dhe filantropist shqiptaro-amerikan, i nderuar me shumë çmime mes tyre edhe Nderi i Kombit nga Presidenti i Shqipërisë, Medalja Presidenciale e Kosovës për Merita si dhe Dekorata e Thirrjes Presidenciale për Shërbim nga Shtëpia e Bardhë në SHBA.

Me shumë meritë: Jim Xhema përjetësohet me emrin e një rruge në Prishtinë

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Nga Harry Bajraktari

NEW YORK/

Urime mikut tim Jim Xhema për nderimet e bukura dhe të merituara që iu bënë sot nga Presidentja e Kosovës Vjosa Osmani dhe Kryetari i Komunës së Prishtinës, Përparim Rama.

Jim Xhema pranoi sot Urdhërin Presidencial të Lirisë së Kosovës. Dhe duke filluar që sot, një rrugë e kryeqytetit të Kosovës do të mbajë emrin e aktivistit të shquar shqiptaro-amerikan.

Jim Xhema ka qenë pjesë e pandarë e çdo ngjarjeje apo nisme të madhe që kemi pasur në Washington apo New York në gjysëmshekullin e fundit, në shërbim të kombit shqiptar.

Miqësia e tij me Senatorin e Amerikës Bob Dole ka qenë një nga themelet e mbështetjes dypartiake që shqiptaro-amerikanët ndërtuan në Washington kur Kosova dhe kombi shqiptar kishin më shumë nevojë.

Vendosja e emrit të tij një rruge në Prishtinë nderon jo vetëm patriotin Jim Xhema por edhe gjithë komunitetin shqiptaro-amerikan për ndihmën e madhe dhe kontributin që kanë dhënë për Kosovën.

Urime miku im, Jim Xhema! Faleminderit Presidentja Vjosa Osmani dhe Kryetari Përparim Rama!

Zoti e bekoftë Kosovën e lirë dhe të pavarur.

Don’t repeat the same mistakes with Vucic

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By Harry Bajraktari/

The recent crisis in the northern part of Kosova has the fingerprints of Serbia’s President Vucic all over it. He orchestrated it and now he wants to take credit for ending it. This has been obvious to anyone who has paid attention to the recent events. 

His minions in northern Kosova have openly said that Vucic word was enough for them to begin dismantling the barricades. Indeed, as soon as Vucic called for their removal, they began to take them down.

So why is the international community unable and unwilling to name and shame Vucic? Why do they continue to appease him like they did with Putin?

Why are they still stuck at “both-sides”-statements, while it is clearly only one side which is using violence and illegal actions?

And we have been here before. The barricades go up in the north, whenever Vucic wants to foment a crisis. Whether because he has an election coming up or he is not liking a document the internationals want him to sign.

The West has learned from its experience with Vladimir Putin of Russia that making concessions to a leader who threatens with escalating a crisis of his own making, is wrong and counterproductive. That is how we got the war in Ukraine.

Just like with Putin, appeasing Vucic will only make him bolder. He knows he cannot match NATO forces on the ground, but he needs a situation of ongoing crisis as a negotiating tool. Vucic will keep creating new crises because they pay off. Instead of facing sanctions because of them, he is redeemed with more grants and resources from EU, trade agreements with US, and dubious clauses in the proposed agreements between Kosova and Serbia.

The West should have cut all the normal ties with Vucic the moment that he refused to join the sanctions against Russia. He should have been treated like a pariah until the loophole he created for Russians to evade the sanctions, was closed.

Not only they did not do that, but he has continued to be treated in the same footing as Albin Kurti, although the Kosovar leader is only trying to establish the rule of law in the entire territory of his country.

It is important that Kurti and Kosova act only in coordination with the international community and especially with the United States and the NATO command in Kosova (KFOR). Any rushed, unprepared move can be used by Serbia to sow disunity among our allies and justify its aggression.

However, we should be telling Washington and the European Union that “enough is enough” when it comes to Vucic. He is not just endangering Kosova and the region. He is also provoking a new conflict to please his ally in Moscow. He is endangering American lives and will do it again unless he sees clearly that this kind of maneuvers don’t work.

Only under real pressure would Vucic or any Serbian leader agree to a long-term normalization with Kosova. And there will never be true normalization for as long as Serbia is allowed to think that not recognizing Kosova is an option.

Straight talk and real punishing measures should have been taken more than a decade ago. Yet, better late than never, it is time to tell Vucic that if he wants to continue to benefit from the European Union resources and avoid international sanctions he should stop interfering in the internal affairs of other neighbors, namely Kosova, Bosnia, and Montenegro.

The United States should downgrade its relations with Serbia, until justice is finally done for the three US citizens, the Bytyci brothers, who were executed in 1999; until Serbia reveals the bodies of more than a thousand of murdered Albanian civilians, whose bodies remain hided in Serbia more than 20 years after the war; and until Serbia recognizes the new political reality in the Balkans.

The United States has spent too much energy and resources over the last three decades to establish peace and stability in the Southeast Europe. This important security investment will remain in real danger unless Serbia is brought to line by the Western allies. Vucic like Putin will only understand the language of force.

The West must act now!

Harry Bajraktari is founder and publisher of Illyria newspaper (1991-1998), an Albanian-American community leader, philanthropist, and recipient of many awards, including the Honor of the Nation Order by the President of Albania, Kosova’s Presidential Medal for Merits & the White House Presidential Call to Service Award.

It’s now or never! On Tuesday, August 23rd, get out and vote for Vedat Gashi!

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By Harry Bajraktari/

This Tuesday, August 23rd, we have the great opportunity to send an Albanian-American to Washington. Vedat Gashi is running in the Democratic Party Primary for New York 16th Congressional District.

I know Vedat very well, as a person and as a public servant. I know his family and his story.

Vedat Gashi would be a great member of Congress for our community, for the 16th Congressional District, for Westchester and The Bronx, for New York, and the United States of America.

He has a beautiful life story. A child of hard-working immigrant parents, Vedat Gashi went to college and then had a successful professional life. He was grateful for the opportunities he was given and was determined to give back to the community. He ran for office and was elected twice in the Westchester Board of Legislators, where he has served with great integrity and passion.

This Tuesday, August 23rd, we can help him make history. If he wins the Democratic Primary, his path to U.S. Congress will be open wide. He faces strong opponents, but he has a great chance of winning. He will need our strong help.

Go out and vote for him on Tuesday, tell your family and friends to vote as well. Take them with you.

To vote, you must be a registered Democrat living in one of these places in the New York 16th Congressional District: Ardsley, Bronxville, Dobbs Ferry, Eastchester, Elmsford, Harrison, Hartsdale, Hastings On Hudson, Irvington, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, Mt. Vernon, Larchmont, New Rochelle, Pelham, Port Chester, Purchase, Rye, Rye Brook, Scarsdale, Tarrytown, Tuckahoe, West Harrison, White Plains, Yonkers, and Wakefield in The Bronx.

When you vote, post a picture in your social media and tag your friends. This way we can encourage more people to get out and vote. We can’t afford to stay indifferent on a day like this.

It’s now or never!

Vote for Vedat Gashi!