At the center of the city of Prishtina there is a monument to revolution. It is rarely thought of as such, but it has been occupying a privileged position for more than fifty years in the capital of Kosovo. If there was a camera on the top of it, it could be the eye of the city. In the Albanian language some people refer to it as “tre rremëshi” (the three branches), or“trekëndëshi,” (the triangle).

According to thorough research by Forum ZFD, the official name oftrekëndëshi is the Monument to Heroes of the National Liberation Movement, and it is dedicated to the fallen fighters who rose up against fascist occupation during World War II. It is located at what is now called the Adem Jashari square, which from its construction in 1961 until the 1999 war in Kosovo was named Brotherhood and Unity Square.

Sources from the Municipality of Prishtina explained to Kosovo 2.0 that the name of the square changed to Adem Jashari in 2000 or 2001, though no document can be found to prove it; the name change was officially re-approved in 2010. The whole space commonly retains the name of Brotherhood and Unity among Prishtinali.

At the end of September this year, the Municipality of Prishtina announced a project to refurbish the square, which will not just clean up the area but also make some changes, especially to the floor of this well trodden public space.

In declarations to Kohavision, Mayor Shpend Ahmeti went as far as to say that he thinks that there should be a referendum to decide whether the central monument of the square, built as part of the ‘Brotherhood and Unity’ philosophy spread throughout Yugoslavia by Josip Broz Tito, should continue to exist in the Adem Jashari Square. “We should either remove the monument or we should change the name of the square; I think it should go to referendum and to the citizens,” he said, suggesting that the current situation of the monument being situated in a square named after an Albanian national hero was a “paradox.”

To add some humor to the issue, Kuku News announced that Ahmeti has asked Adem Jashari to register as a property owner, as there are far too many things in his name — don’t panic, it’s a satirical publication.

But the mayor’s comments caught people by surprise, since a referendum has never been called by the Municipality of Prishtina (at least since Kosovo’s independence); the measure would certainly set a precedent for future decisions. However in this case the discussion surrounding the monument has also highlighted the way in which some perceive this object, often with misconceptions about its history.

A monument between Brotherhood and Unity and Adem Jashari

Misconceptions endure about iconic Prishtina structure.

Cristina Marí

A monument between Brotherhood and Unity and Adem Jashari

Misconceptions endure about iconic Prishtina structure.

Cristina Marí