20 years have passed since the NATO bombing and the horrors of war in Kosovo and Metohija. During those 78 days, many important battles were fought, both against terrorists - the so-called KLA - as well as against the regular Albanian army and foreign mercenaries, in Košare and Paštrik. Documentary films record these events.
The so-called KLA was established in the Drenica area. The first armed terrorist operations began as early as 1996-1997. They declared Drenica to be "liberated territory". One of the founders of the KLA was Adem Jashari from the village of Donji Prekaz, who was killed in a confrontation with Serbian forces (6 March 1998). Kosovo Albanians celebrate him as a hero and martyr, and have erected monuments to him in Priština, Tirana and Skopje.
That is the reason why during those 78 days fierce battles were fought in the Drenica region, in which Milan Šolaja took part, as a regular soldier under the command of the extremely capable Major Vladimir Puđa.
Milan survived the horrors of war in Kosovo and Metohija in 1999, but unfortunately a few years later he was left paralysed in a car accident from the waist down.
In spite of the accident, Milan started playing sports. At first he competed in javelin throw. However, when it tarted to adversely affected his health, Milan took up a new sports discipline 'breath-hold diving'. He won significant accolades at competitions so far, becoming European Champion in Slovenia and World Vice-Champion in Crimea, Russia.
To support Milan's daily life and sporting hopes, our parish of St. Andrew the Apostle in Bedford decided to organize a humanitarian campaign to raise £ 2,750 to purchase a custom-made wheelchair “Kuschall Champion 2.0”. This campaign lasted for a month and culminated with the Humanitarian Evening on Sunday, 17 November at the restaurant "Balkan Express" hosted by owners Dragan and Natalija Balatunović.
The campaign was successfully completed and all the funds needed to buy the wheelchair was collected. The Bedford Parish Administration would used the opportunity to thank all donors as well as anyone who has helped in any way.
The wheelhair will be ordered in the coming days and it will take about a month for them to be custom-made. We expect that by the end of December Milan Šolaja will receive his "new legs" in the form of this wheelchair.
Milan welcomed this news with great joy, but also with immense gratitude to all who helped this humanitarian campaign.
Once Milan receives the wheelchair, we will notify donors with a photo and video report as well as a list of contributors.
The parish board of St. Andrew the Apostle