Last farewell to the Homeland Martyr, Major Klodian Tanushi

Published: Thursday, 16 May 2019 16:46

 

Major Klodian Tanushi, Commander of the Albanian Contingent in Latvia, was honored with the highest military and state obsequies before he is laid to rest in the Homeland Martyrs’ Cemetery in Tirana.

Major Klodian Tanushi fell in line of duty due to an explosion at the Camp Adazi in Latvia, where the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group and the Albanian Contingent under his leadership are deployed.

For more than two hours, at the premises of the National Museum of History obsequies were held for Major Tanushi. President of Republic Ilir Meta, the Head of Parliament Gramoz Ruçi, Prime Minister Edi Rama, Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka, members of the Government Cabinet, Deputy Defense Minister Koçi, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Bardhyl Kollçaku, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, the Governor of the Bank of Albania Genc Sejko, MPs, Political Party Representatives, Senior Armed Forces Leaders, representatives of diplomatic corps accredited in our country, foreign military attachés, Canadian, Latvian and Italian military colleagues in the NATO “enhanced Forward Presence” mission to Latvia, representatives of religious communities, hundreds of AF members, state and municipal police officers, family members and many citizens of the capital paid homage to Major Tanushi.

After the homages, a state ceremony was held in honor of the Homeland Martyr. Chief of General Staff, Brigadier General Bardhyl Kollçaku, distinguished the commitment and readiness of Major Tanushi, and said that “The Armed Forces and every Albanian will observe silence, bow, weep and mourn.”

Defense Minister Olta Xhaçka considered Major Tanushi’s fall in line of duty as an immense loss for his family as well as for the Albanian Armed Forces. Also, Minister Xhaçka said that Commander Tanushi fulfilled his mission, despite of the difficult and dangerous duty that took his life.

“Klodian chose to serve the Armed Forces and the country in one of its most difficult units, in the Explosive Ordnance Disposal special unit, where the risk for one’s life watches you in every step and every second. He chose to serve in this difficult unit, but with a very noble and humane mission, to save other lives that are endangered by explosive ordnance. Major Tanushi accomplished this mission with honor by sacrificing his life.”

Prime Minister Edi Rama compared Homeland’s Martyr Major Tanushi to the martyrs who gave their lives for freedom during World War II. “Another martyr of the Armed Forces will lay to rest to “Mother Albania” and it is not impossible but rather natural to set links between those who are the symbol of a heroic and decisive war on the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of the country and Zarife or Klodian, who joined them in the last resting place as part of a new history that requires new sacrifices in a country that belongs to NATO. Both of them, and both sides, are united to the right side of history. War martyrs are the martyrs of a national effort to be on the right side of history, as well as the new martyrs who are the martyrs of a national consciousness embedded in the stand on the right side of history.

Being yesterday in front of Nazism, Fascism, meant being ready to give the life by standing on the right side of history. Being today, alongside the United States and all other NATO countries means being ready to sacrifice the life by standing on the right side of the history.”

After the state ceremony, the coffin with the lifeless body of Major Tanushi, wrapped in the National Flag, was placed on a gun carriage and under the funeral sounds of the Armed Forces Wind Orchestra and by the accompaniment of the Armed Forces Honor Guard, he was escorted to the Homeland Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Near “Mother Albania” monument, according to military tradition, the Commander of the Engineering Battalion, where Major Tanushi was part of, performed the last appeal.
Deputy Defense Minister Petro Koçi read the verdict of the Statute Central Committee “Martyr of the Homeland”, which proclaims Major Klodian Tanushi, who fell in line of duty during the NATO “enhanced Forward Presence” mission in Latvia, “Martyr of Homeland”.

Later, the Commander of the Engineering Battalion handed over to the father of fallen major the National Flag, which covered the Homeland Martyr’s coffin.

After the National Anthem, the coffin with the lifeless body of major Tanushi was situated near the place where he will eternally rest in peace and was performed a short religious ceremony by his family and companions.

The ultimate farewell to Major Tanushi8 was made after the honor by a three-volley from the Armed Forces Riflemen Team.

Major Tanushi left behind his wife and three children, two sons and a daughter.

Thursday, May 16, 2019 was declared by the government a National Mourning Day and in all public and private institutions, diplomatic missions abroad and NATO headquarters in Brussels, international organizations where our country is member of, the military bases where Albanian contingents serve in international missions, the National Flag will be flown at half-staff.