Pristina residents: The bombing had to happen, for us it was liberation

Residents of Pristina say that the start of the bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999 was also a day of salvation and liberation for the Albanian people, and that NATO intervention was necessary, although there are also those who point out that such a thing should never happen again.

Frok Neziraj is convinced that the bombing in 1999 was necessary.

“The bombing was needed because the people were suffering, regardless of nationality. There was suffering everywhere. Things are still not as they should be, but hopefully they will be,” Neziraj said.

Mirsad Krasniqi and Mehmet Peja say that the NATO intervention in Kosovo is celebrated as a day of liberation.

“We remember that day as salvation for us, that is how it is seen in Kosovo,” Krasniqi said.

“I tried to leave Kosovo, but I did not succeed, and no one harmed me. We came out of it as free people. For us, it was liberation,” Peja said.

Nexhmedin Lapastica admits that he would not want that period to happen again.

“In my opinion, at that time, war profiteers were in power, and we have returned to the same situation again, but they got rich. I think we have to move on with our lives. What happened should not happen again, and after the war, many Albanians received treatment in Nis, Leskovac, they still visit those cities, and what is happening now is real madness,” Lapastica said.