At a solemn ceremony attended by the highest leaders of Kosovo’s institutions, numerous representatives of the diplomatic corps in Kosovo, as well as prominent public figures from Montenegro, AAB College today honored the Montenegrin writer, a great friend of the Albanian people and of Kosovo, Jevrem Bërković, with its highest Literature Award.
Bowing before the photograph of the distinguished Kosovar poet Ali Podrimja, whose name the highest literature award of AAB College carries, the Montenegrin writer Jevrem Bërković moved everyone present as he accepted the award from the AAB Rector, Lulzim Tafa.
“I know Jevrem Bërković, the great friend of Albanians and of Kosovo, through his poetry, but also through his critical voice on regional issues. I am convinced that Ali Podrimja himself would be happy in eternity knowing that through the award bearing his name, we are today honoring the great writer from Montenegro, Jevrem Bërković,” said Rector Lulzim Tafa on this occasion.
Meanwhile, the head of the jury for the “Ali Podrimja” Award, Prof. Dr. Agim Vinca, stated that Bërković deserves this award as one of the greatest creators of the former Yugoslavia and the entire region. “Another reason why this award was given to this poet is that Jevrem Bërković and Ali Podrimja were old friends and had a very close friendship between them,” Vinca emphasized.
At the ceremony organized for this occasion, which also marked Montenegro’s Independence Day by the Montenegrin community in Kosovo, the Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Mr. Kadri Veseli, also gave a speech, stating that he highly values the work and contribution of the Montenegrin writer Jevrem Bërković, particularly his critical voice on regional issues. Speaker Veseli also spoke about relations between the two neighboring states and the importance Montenegro’s 2006 independence had for Kosovo’s own independence process: “Today we are pleased that Prishtina and Podgorica share the same views on the region’s current needs and its future. Based on this foundation, our two countries are developing very good relations in all areas of common interest,” said Veseli.
The laureate of the “Ali Podrimja” Award for 2015, Jevrem Bërković, said in his speech that this day is grand for him, but at the same time painful because he does not have his close friend Ali Podrimja beside him. He dedicated almost his entire speech to Ali Podrimja, speaking about their friendship, their bond, and the dream they shared regarding the independence of their two states: “With my brother Ali Podrimja, we dreamed and kept dreaming, with wine and without wine, that the day would come when Montenegro and Kosovo would be independent. Finally, even your Kosovo has gained statehood and is internationally recognized,” he said, addressing Podrimja. “Back then, I promised that we Montenegrins would be the first to recognize an independent Kosovo, and we were among the first,” Bërković stressed.
He also mentioned the two unsuccessful assassination attempts against him, carried out precisely because of his stance toward Albanians and Kosovo.
Today’s event was also greeted by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Arsim Bajrami, who said that the roots of friendship between Montenegrins and the people of Kosovo are very deep.
The organizers of this ceremony were: AAB College, the Association of Montenegrins of Kosovo, the Norwegian Embassy in Kosovo, and the International Montenegrin Press Institute in Nikšić.
