Eight Years Without Adem Demaçi, Kurti Remembers the ‘Mandela of the Albanians’

As the eighth anniversary of his passing is marked, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti paid homage to honor the figure of Adem Demaçi, whom he described as the embodiment of resistance against the oppression of the Yugoslav and Serbian regime.

Through a public post, Kurti stressed that 28 years in prison could not break Demaçi, who remains a model of unwavering resilience and an inexhaustible source of inspiration for future generations. Comparing him to the global figure of Nelson Mandela, he called him “the Mandela of the Albanians and of Europe” and underlined that his legacy in the political, cultural, and historical spheres continues to serve as a compass for society.

“Glory to the life and work of Baca Adem Demaçi,” the prime minister concluded his message.

In the full text, Kurti states that today, on this anniversary, homages were paid in honor of Baca Adem, who himself has become synonymous with opposing the oppressive machinery exercised against Albanians. For this reason, according to him, he rightfully bears the epithet of Mandela for Albanians and the continent.

Kurti assessed that Adem Demaçi embodied indomitability and eternity. Despite spending 28 years behind bars, he never wavered from his path and convictions. According to the acting prime minister, Baca Adem possessed the dialectic of existence because he did not fear the end. He oscillated between freedom and the cell, transforming suffering into energy and turning violence into a force of resistance, which made him immortal. He, Kurti expressed, “had killed death.”

Even though Baca Adem is no longer physically alive, his lifelong commitment continues to serve as our guide and motivation. The post closes with the tribute to his life, work, and the entirety of his rich legacy.