Pristina, November 1, 2009 –
At the entrance to "Bill Clinton" Boulevard, there is a 3.5 meter high statue of the former American president, Bill Clinton.
On the wall behind her the founder of "Behgjet Pacolli" Foundation, has taken care to finance the banner where he writes; "Welcome to the Boulevard "Bill Clinton", this welcome is also accompanied by the photo of the former 42nd president of the United States of America.
"Behgjet Pacolli" Foundation has been taking care of the maintenance of this banner for several years now.
The statue of Bill Clinton was inaugurated in the center of Pristina during a ceremony where the former American president was present.
This was done to honor the politician that Kosovo Albanians see as the person who fought for them, against the Yugoslav forces during the NATO bombing.
But as seen in 2016, a close friend of President Clinton had pleaded with me that the outdated photo on the wall of former President Clinton, be removed and put up one that would represent Clinton with dignity.
That's what I did, placing through the Foundation a photo that represents dignity.
The 3.5 meter high statue is the work of the renowned sculptor Izeir Mustafa.
Wait hero
On November 1, 2009, the former president of the USA, Bill Clinton, came to Pristina to see closely the statue that was erected for him.
Received as a hero, Clinton congratulated Kosovo on its achievements in the past ten years, asking Kosovars to be proud of their achievements.
But the former American president called on Kosovo's institutions to continue and expand efforts to build a multinational society, and help, as he said, the minorities in Kosovo, to understand that everyone in the country needs each other.
"You have strengthened your security and reduced the need for other countries' forces on the ground."
"You have taken real steps to make it clear that the intolerance that drove many people from their homes not so long ago has no place in the new Kosovo."
"I can only urge you to continue to improve and expand these efforts, to ensure that Serbs and other minorities are fully included and protected. And to understand that you need each other, because you are truly a microcosm of a 21st century world," former President Clinton said.
Received with long applause in the Assembly of Kosovo, the former American president first met the leaders of the country's institutions, who described his visit as historic.
They expressed deep gratitude to Mr. Clinton for all his commitment regarding Kosovo and for his role, as they said extraordinary for Kosovo's freedom, democracy, peace and stability in the region.
Thousands of citizens of Kosovo, in a cold weather, have been waiting for hours for the arrival of the former American president on the boulevard in Pristina, which has been named after him for ten years.
A banner with the inscription "Kosova honors the hero", which was placed on the boulevard while a statue cast in bronze, the work of the sculptor, Izeir Mustafa, three meters high, was discovered by Mr. Clinton, although she stayed in this place for weeks.
Bill Clinton is known among Kosovo Albanians as the man who helped in the country's freedom. He was the president of the USA in 1999, when the decision was made to start the NATO air campaign against Serbian targets.
After 78 days of air campaign, Serbian security forces left Kosovo and nearly 1 million expelled Kosovo Albanians returned to their homes.
Bill Clinton stayed in Kosovo, a few months after the end of the war, in 1999, when he called on the citizens of Kosovo to overcome their differences and work on building the country.
In 2003, he participated in a ceremony to award the title Doctor Honoris Causa, with which he was honored by the University of Pristina.
