Mr. President,
Madam President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

To be able to honor you, Mrs. Osmani-Sadriu, is an honor for those who have the privilege of doing so. You are a truly inspiring, outstanding personality. And this is being honored with the M100 Media Award.

Ladies and gentlemen, 240 years ago (almost exactly), in 1784, Immanuel Kant wrote: “Enlightenment is the emergence of man from his self-inflicted immaturity” and immaturity is self-inflicted if it is not based on a lack of understanding, but on a lack of “resolution and courage” – in other words, if it results in the unwillingness or inability to use one’s own understanding.

Madam President, when I had the opportunity to get to know you and to trace your career and your political work a little, this Kantian definition came to my mind. Because that is exactly what you embody: the determination and courage to use your own intellect. That has consequences. Let me pick out a few aspects:

President Osmani is steadfastly committed to freedom and democracy, human rights and the rule of law. She is thus continuing, under new and now better conditions, what her great predecessor Ibrahim Rugova stood for. The political legacy of President Rugova is preserved in her personality and, as they say in the Kosovo, it lives on in the spirit of ‘Rugovism’. This means: trusting in the power of humanity and reason; granting every person equal rights in the pursuit of happiness, indeed making it possible; in other words, ensuring the strength of the law and not accepting the supposed right of the strongest – this should apply not only between individuals or in societies, but also between nations and states.

None of this is a matter of course, and it is certainly not guaranteed – it is constantly challenged. And since I have already quoted Kant, then please allow me to make a second comment: when he published his treatise “Perpetual Peace”, thoughts were in the world for the first time – as you can see from the thought presented as a contract – that, for example, one state does not have the right to buy or otherwise incorporate another; that, for example, the path of the individual in society and his peaceful development is the prerequisite for peace within and between nations.

And we all know that much of the American Declaration of Independence, the French Revolution and Kant’s writings have survived to this day and can be found in the United Nations Charter, the Declaration of Human Rights and other documents. But we also know that history teaches us that none of this is secure. On the contrary: challenged, endangered and sometimes – as we have witnessed and experienced in the last two centuries – disregarded in the most brutal way, to the detriment of people, their lives, and their dignity.

This is the background to the challenges that President Osmani has taken on. She helped to write her country’s constitution; she represented her country in front of the International Court of Justice, as we have just seen, and this confirmation of the legality of the Kosovo’s independence should encourage not just some, but all states in the European Union (and beyond) to actually recognize this independence.

Like all Balkan states, the Kosovo is also part of Europe – and I do not mean that geographically. We all know that the path to the European Union is not a simple act of will, like walking through a door and then you are in. Every country in Europe, including Germany, is ultimately too small to assert itself in this world – only together can European countries and states preserve peace and freedom and secure their, let me put it this way, their civilization of a good life. President Osmani’s award recognizes her efforts to position the Kosovo as a beacon of hope and progress in Europe and the world in precisely this spirit.

President Osmani’s political path is an example of the strength and spirit of the people of the Kosovo itself. She embodies the resilience of people rising from the ashes of war; she embodies that truth and justice lead the way. Her commitment to Europe, to Euro-Atlantic values, is a sincere promise; a promise to the citizens she serves and a promise that their voices will be heard, their rights protected and their future secured.

This is more than a simple political ambition. It is certainly not a phrase.

Whoever was born in Mitrovica – and I think some people know what that means in the Kosovo – whoever was born in Mitrovica in 1982, whoever experienced their childhood as part of a minority that was increasingly oppressed, then endangered and finally exposed to expulsion;
who as a young woman – let us put it this way – studies law in a traditionally male-dominated environment;
who is so successful, earns a PhD in the USA, teaches and practices law there and at the same time first accompanies and then shapes politics;
anyone who returns to his shaken homeland, is so committed and successful and at the same time is and remains an attentive and approachable person – political responsibility is “baked into him”.

Receiving this award underscores President Osmani’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law. Tireless commitment to the Kosovo’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures is a vision rooted in the conviction that every citizen deserves the protection of freedoms, rights, and opportunities; that this includes the pursuit of reforms, the fight against corruption and efforts to strengthen democratic institutions. All of this is also an expression of confidence in the potential of their own country and its people.

That is why the fight against corruption is also at the center of President Osmani’s leadership – not only as a political priority, but also as a moral imperative. She knows that a democracy can only truly thrive if it is underpinned by transparency, accountability, and integrity. In fact, I fear that we in Germany will have to revisit this consideration in the face of very difficult challenges. Because if facts can no longer be facts, the truth can no longer be truth, then there is a lot at stake – and not just on the Sunday after next in Brandenburg.

However, in a region where the scars of conflict are still visible, President Osmani has proven that courage and principled leadership can overcome the greatest challenges. Her efforts to uphold the rule of law are testament to her conviction that a fair society is a society, in which no one is above the law and all must be equal before the law.

This also applies to another part of the President’s commitment, namely the strengthening of rights – especially those of women.

She knows that the strength of a nation is not measured solely by its military or economic power, but by the opportunities it offers to all its citizens, regardless of their gender.

Her commitment to gender equality and her advocacy for the rights of women and – if I may say so in this context – minorities, is a consistent and persistent effort to show young women and girls in the Kosovo – and around the world – that their dreams are important, that there are no limits to what they can achieve. Most importantly, President Osmani has included her country in the global efforts to advance the women’s, peace and security agenda and has ensured that women are involved in all decisions in her country.

President Osmani is steadfast. She has stood up to those who seek to undermine her country’s progress. She has reminded us that freedom is not a gift, not a gift to be taken for granted, but a right that comes with an obligation. The obligation to protect and defend freedom in every respect. This requires determination and a belief in values that we all hold dear.

Another and penultimate aspect is President Osmani’s work on the world stage and its importance there, which is also recognized by this award. Not only that the Kosovo should be integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community, not only that integration, cooperation and mutual respect are associated with this. No, it is also a call to recognize the contributions of this young republic, which is courageously tackling the construction of a better future despite poor conditions and many challenges. In doing so, President Osmani has become a prominent voice in international forums.

So, when we honor her today, we are also honoring the people of the Kosovo, their path to democracy and self-determination and the fact that this was and remains anything but easy. We are honoring a leader who knows that strength also lies in the values that people uphold. In this respect, President Osmani’s leadership is probably a source of hope and inspiration not only for the people of the Kosovo, but hopefully also for us who believe in the power of democracy to improve lives and living conditions, promote unity and develop societies accordingly.

A few months ago, President Osmani attended the Peace Summit for the Ukraine. She said there: “Only 25 years ago, I was a war child among many other children in the Kosovo, hiding in the mountains of the Kosovo, hoping that people like you would come and save us. You gave me the opportunity to return 25 years later and I thank you for not closing your eyes to the suffering of children in the Kosovo.”

Back then, 25 years ago, I was Federal Minister of Defense and President of the European Social Democrats. That was a time when NATO – after months of sometimes desperate and ultimately unfortunately futile negotiations – put a military end to the expulsion and persecution, the war crimes in the Kosovo and against the Kosovars. I believe that awarding this prize to President Osmani is not only a testimony to her tireless work, but also a testimony to the values that held us together back then and that hold us together today.

Madam President, this is recognition and encouragement. A recognition of leadership, of courage, of conviction, of consistent advocacy for justice and equality. I think the road is far from over – neither the Kosovo’s nor your own. And that is why I wish you, surely on behalf of all those present, that you will continue to work across borders and generations – with vision and integrity.

We thank you; we wish you all the best and I personally offer you my warmest congratulations.