“Bota Sot” on Its 31st Anniversary: The Platform That Kept the Voice of the Albanian Diaspora Alive in the Hardest Years

On June 26, the newspaper “Bota Sot” marks 31 years since its founding, sealing more than three decades of dedication to accurate information, free speech and the national cause.

Founded in Zurich on June 26, 1995, at a time when Kosovo was under the Serbian regime and freedom of expression was restricted, “Bota Sot” quickly became a powerful information platform and the voice of the Albanian diaspora, building a lasting link between emigrants and their homeland.

In Kosovo’s hardest years, when reliable information was vital, this newspaper played an important role in reflecting political, social and national developments, informing hundreds of thousands of Albanians in Europe, America and beyond.

Through its reporting, “Bota Sot” helped raise awareness among domestic and international public opinion about what was happening in Kosovo, while at the same time strengthening the diaspora’s ties with the homeland.

Over these 31 years, “Bota Sot” has become an important point of reference for Albanians wherever they live, promoting language, culture and national identity, while also keeping alive the spirit of solidarity and national commitment.

Shala: Its distribution here in New York was eagerly awaited, with distribution points organized for its loyal readers

On the occasion of the anniversary of the founding of “Bota Sot” and the impact it has had over the years on the Albanian diaspora, publicist Hafiz Shala from the United States of America spoke about it.

He highly praised the national newspaper “Bota Sot,” highlighting its accuracy, content and dedication to national issues, the diaspora and the reader.

“More than three decades of brilliant informative activity by the national newspaper ‘Bota Sot,’ which won the trust and affection of readers in all Albanian ethnic lands and in the diaspora.

The national newspaper ‘Bota Sot’ can freely be ranked among the world’s most prestigious newspapers, because it was accurate, truthful, dedicated to readers passionate about the truth and the affirmation of topics of general interest, with emphasis on those of nationwide interest.”

In his conversation with “Bota Sot,” Shala also recalled the period when it was very difficult to tell the truth and express free speech because of various political agendas and currents.

He underlined that the owner, staff and journalists of this media outlet stood unwaveringly in defense of principles and the truth, although unfortunately over the years there were also journalists who were killed.

“Even when free speech was being targeted for control and the policies of various clans and currents were being imposed, ‘Bota Sot’ had a program of national interest and pushed back against all of them, continuing to meet the demands of the broader public opinion.

For this, the owner, staff and journalists of this medium, as I would call it, the New York Times of the Republic of Dardania, by standing stoically by their principles and the word given to readers, saw some journalists turn into martyrs and heroes…

The murdered journalists must never be forgotten, such as: Xhemail Mustafa, Bekim Kastrati, Bardhyl Ajeti, etc.”

The publicist from the US stressed that “Bota Sot” is a national newspaper because, despite pressure, attacks and assassination attempts, it never disappointed its readers and continued to provide fair and accurate information.

He also recalled the period when the newspaper’s distribution in New York was eagerly awaited and special distribution points were organized for its loyal readers.

“It was truly a national newspaper, because with fair and timely information… It carried out its informative activity under the watch of the security organs… through an attack with a wine bottle filled with explosives… The suspected perpetrator was sentenced to 11 years in prison…”

Courage and professionalism, according to him, were inseparable virtues of the newspaper, which is why it became the most preferred paper for accurate, truthful and direct information from the homeland and the world. Its distribution in New York was awaited with pleasure and anticipation, with distribution points organized for its loyal readers.

In conclusion, he congratulated publisher Mr. Xhevdet Mazrekaj, the staff and collaborators.

“On this occasion, I wish to congratulate the publisher, the editorial staff and the journalists…”

“The newspaper ‘Bota Sot’ will live as long as there is sun and moon, water and air,” Hafiz Shala concluded.

Qarri: ‘Bota Sot,’ the voice of the diaspora and a platform of truth in Kosovo’s most difficult times

Analyst from the diaspora Gani Qarri also, on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the founding of the newspaper “Bota Sot,” highly praised its historic role, describing it as one of the media outlets that, in the most difficult periods for Kosovo and Albanians, defended free speech and fair information.

According to Qarri, “Bota Sot” was much more than a newspaper, as it became a platform of truth and a powerful voice of the Albanian diaspora.

“‘Bota Sot,’ or the national newspaper founded 31 years ago, continues to be appreciated even today for its courage in delivering free speech and is highly valued for expressing the truth, which even in the most difficult and decisive periods for the Albanian people, played an irreplaceable role in the real and impartial informing of national and international public opinion, especially in the hardest years of the war, when Kosovo was facing classic occupation by fascist Serbia and the Serbian occupying regime, which had shut down the University, primary and secondary schools and all Albanian-language media.

Therefore, on the anniversary of the founding of the national ‘Bota Sot,’ in the hardest times and years for the country, and especially for emigrants around the world, through its fast, real and impartial reporting of political, social and national events, it turned into the strongest voice of nationwide information, contributing powerfully to free speech, the shaping of public opinion, strengthening national awareness and preserving Albanians’ ties with their country, at a time when it became almost an institutional information medium and one of the only windows during the darkest informational period in Kosovo, through which Albanians had the opportunity to learn the reality and be informed about developments inside and outside the country even during the war years in Kosovo.

Speaking about the newspaper’s 31-year journey, Qarri highlighted “Bota Sot’s” pioneering role in Albanian journalism, as well as the many challenges it has faced over the years.

He stressed that the price of its unwavering stance in defense of the truth has been high, but that this has not stopped the newspaper from remaining one of the most trusted voices of information in the Albanian-speaking sphere.

“The national ‘Bota Sot’ is the first independent Albanian-language daily to appear in the diaspora and one of the best-known names in Albanian journalism, which began a new standard of reporting by publishing true and authentic news as it happened on the ground, causing the greatest indignation among criminals who, especially after the war, had become used to being pampered, treated as heroes and described as angels by other servile media, something that cost the national ‘Bota Sot’ dearly, as it paid with the loss of the lives of some of its most distinguished collaborators and journalists, whose killers then and now have never been discovered by Kosovo’s rotten, captured and entirely worn-out justice system; editor Mazrekaj and his family even experienced a bomb attack, packaged as a ‘gift,’ which was sent to their home by mail.

‘Bota Sot’ was born forcefully to continue relentlessly, despite many attempts and ordeals then and now, as a multidimensional newspaper with a special media platform, very different from other media, remaining an exemplary and unmatched informative daily since its first publication, which these days proudly celebrates its 31st anniversary, a long and very difficult journey, but a successful and affirming one, of an exemplary information outlet that has managed to have major influence and clearly advance the development of free and fearless thought, fair and independent information, and the keeping alive and strengthening of national feeling among all Albanians in the diaspora, in Kosovo and wherever our compatriots live in our ethnic lands.”

The analyst also underlined that “Bota Sot” has been a national daily with a special role in the diaspora, which despite many challenges and pressures, has remained a strong symbol of free information and Albanian national identity.

According to him, the newspaper has helped provide proper information, patriotic education and strengthen the diaspora’s bond with the homeland.

“A national daily distinguished by its multidimensional informative activity, with which we drank our morning coffee and spent the day, until late evening, in its company; the offspring medium and strongest symbol of Albanian autochthony in emigration and the diaspora, which not only functioned successfully and continuously, but despite unprecedented pressure, major obstacles and countless threats, operated without interruption, survived and was successfully edited even in the most difficult years of Kosovo’s classic occupation by fascist Serbia.

‘Bota Sot’ dedicated its entire editorial being to the proper informing of domestic and foreign public opinion, the patriotic education of new generations, the growth of patriotism among Albanians inside and outside the country, strengthening their hope for better days and the freedom enjoyed by all of us, including the new generations of emigrant children, who today make up an entire large army of intellectuals, prominent economists, lawyers and other capable activists of the most diverse profiles in the diaspora, raising high the sacred ideal of freedom, with which they have much in common, almost identical experiences, a strong and unbreakable stance and an almost one-way and equally loud common journey, up to the independence of the Republic of Kosovo and life in freedom, for this part of our national ethnicity and the most patriotic region in the whole of Albanian geography,” he told “Bota Sot.”

Further, Qarri said that “Bota Sot” has influenced the raising of national consciousness and strengthening of the patriotic spirit among Albanians, increasing the readiness of the diaspora to join efforts for freedom and the liberation of Kosovo. During the occupation, according to him, the newspaper became an important informational window and a strong support for the cause of Albanian freedom.

“A national newspaper that raised and strengthened the momentum of activity and influenced the growth of national awareness, strengthened and spiritually tempered the patriotic determination of Albanians and accelerated the readiness of compatriots everywhere, especially those in emigration, to join the struggle of the Albanian people of Kosovo for freedom and the final liberation of the country from the clutches of the classic occupation of fascist Serbia, which at that time was led by the Balkans’ chief butcher Slobodan Milošević, with the current Serbian president, criminal Aleksandar Vučić, as information minister, who at the end of the 20th century closed the University of Kosovo, all primary and secondary schools and the Albanian-language media.

At a time when the national ‘Bota Sot,’ although published abroad, bore the greatest burden for public information, opening a window of light even for Albanians in Kosovo, turning into the informative wing of the struggle and a driver of the organization of the national uprising for freedom and the final liberation of Kosovo from the occupation of fascist Serbia,” Qarri elaborated.

Among other things, he added that “Bota Sot” was founded at a time of terror and informational isolation in Kosovo, becoming an important voice of Albanian resistance and a powerful information platform for the national cause in the diaspora.

According to him, even after the war the newspaper has remained a medium devoted to the truth, with fast and investigative reporting on developments inside and outside the country.

“Founded in the hardest days of Serbian terror and total informational darkness, which fascist Serbia had violently imposed on Kosovo, the national ‘Bota Sot,’ while maintaining permanent ties with the then state leadership headed by Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, almost turned into an official platform of institutional information abroad and an impetus for strengthening Albanian resistance in Kosovo!

Through strong efforts to preserve and advance the national cause, the national ‘Bota Sot’ offered fast, real and relentless investigative reporting on the war and developments in the country, despite countless obstacles and challenges, in the most difficult periods of the war and the superhuman efforts of the Albanian people in Kosovo to realize freedom, thereby delivering one of the greatest blows of the time to the Serbian occupying regime and fascist Serbia led by arch-criminal Slobodan Milošević.

A newspaper that continued its relentless efforts in service of the cause of the nation and the state of Kosovo even after the liberation of the homeland, always remaining a powerful voice of information, an unbreakable offshoot and unwavering media organ of conveying free speech, as a newspaper of realistic description of events and an example of permanent investigation of real developments, inside and outside the country, up to the present day,” the analyst emphasized.

In the end, he reiterated that during the war years in Kosovo, “Bota Sot” was one of the main sources of information for Albanians in the diaspora, serving as a bridge between emigrants and the homeland, despite the many challenges, pressures and attacks it faced.

He said that even in the post-war period, the newspaper has continued to contribute to informing public opinion and reflecting developments with a critical approach, maintaining credibility and strong influence in the Albanian media sphere.

“A nationwide newspaper that during the war years in Kosovo was almost the only and main indigenous source of information for Albanians abroad, which although it contributed so much and became a bridge between Albanian emigrants and Kosovo, encountered countless difficulties and obstacles, until it also became the target of criminal attacks up to terrorist ones, by those who wanted to suffocate the truth and kill freedom of speech.

But despite all the difficulties, the national ‘Bota Sot,’ in addition to informing the public and raising the awareness of domestic and international opinion during the war period, maintained a critical stance toward corruption and organized crime, political deviations and the lack of legality and nonexistent justice even in the post-war years, so its major role and contribution have had a clear impact, especially by bringing different viewpoints into the newspaper, with which it has greatly helped the Albanian reader create a deeper and broader understanding of the truth of events, innovations and daily political, economic, social, cultural, sports and other developments, and continues to play a key role in public information with real reflection, quality work and impartial reporting on what is happening currently in the country and the world, remaining one of the media outlets with high public information credibility everywhere in our lands, without distinction,” Gani Qarri concluded for “Bota Sot.”