Albanians in Pristina, 25 years after the bombing: We got everything we wanted

Albanians in Pristina, 25 years later, perceive the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 as an action that, as they say, brought them everything they wanted. They do not condemn this act; on the contrary, they see it as an action that brought them freedom.

Kosovo authorities have been emphasizing gratitude to NATO for its intervention against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia over these years, and the citizens of Pristina, of Albanian nationality, who are in the vast majority in the city, with whom the Kosovo Online team spoke, agree that the bombing 'brought them salvation'."

One of them, Hakiv, says that Albanians got everything they wanted from the bombing of Yugoslavia.

"Since the bombing until now, we have received everything, everything we needed in life. The bombing saved us," he is clear.

His fellow citizen, Isa Muriqi, says that with the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, the occupation ceased, but Albanians gained "partial freedom."

Even a quarter of a century later, he believes that Serbia is the one "causing problems."

"Many things have changed, the occupation has changed. One cannot always be occupied and treated as a second-class citizen. Everyone should live in peace. And now, after 25 years, Serbia wants to cause problems. They have always caused problems in the Balkans, it doesn't work like that... We got half freedom, not the whole," this resident of Pristina says.

An Albanian who did not want to give his name said the same as his fellow citizens, that the bombing of FR Yugoslavia had brought freedom.

"We got freedom, freedom of movement. It was a catastrophe, not just for us," he said.

Their views on the NATO bombing can be summarized in one sentence by an older Albanian:

“We got everything, everything.“