Osmani at panel with Clinton: Kosovo has learned not to take freedom for granted

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani stated, at a panel with former U.S. President Bill Clinton held within the framework of the Clinton Global Initiative, that people need alliances in order to move forward, adding that Kosovo today is, as she emphasized, a strong democracy capable of facing challenges.

On this occasion, Osmani said that Kosovo has learned not to take freedom for granted.

“Today I can speak as president, but many years ago I was a child waiting in line for food. The children you are helping today, the women you are helping today, will be sitting here tomorrow. You said that the citizens of Kosovo would never give up; we will never give up, because we are a people who were under occupation for years and yet never lost our identity and never surrendered. Today Kosovo is a strong democracy and a state that can face challenges, but also proof that small states can have an impact. We cannot be defined by geography, but by the stories we have to tell,” Osmani said, as reported by Reporteri.

She added that economic prosperity comes when societies focus on the rule of law.

“What we have learned is that when you do not take freedom for granted, when you focus on rule of law, democracy, and human rights, economic development and prosperity follow. And in the end, your strength depends on your partners. You need partners, allies, friends,” Osmani concluded.