Under the sound of the song of the well-known singer Merita Haliti, the opening of the "Prishtina Gastronomy Festival" took place.

This festival, which for 11 days will bring together chefs from Kosovo and Albania, to prepare traditional food from different regions of the cities of these two countries.

The organizer of this festival, Astrit Panxha, in a statement for the Telegraph, said that the first festival of the same type was held in 2019, in just three days, to return strongly after two years of pandemic this year, in full 11 days.

"The gastronomy festival was held for the first time in 2019, and at that time it lasted only three days because it was the first test.

People liked it and after two years since the pandemic interrupted it, this year we decided to bring back this festival and it is longer.

This is because there is a huge cost of investing in this infrastructure for only three days", he said.

Panxha further added that the interest in participating in the festival is great.

"For these days we have brought Tirana to Pristina, Vlora, Struga, Korca and many other cities where they will bring traditional food.

But Prishtina will also offer you its own rock, which will be a very good atmosphere.

There is great interest in this festival and it is modeled like other festivals around the world", he emphasized.

At this opening, the mayor of the municipality of Pristina, Përparim Rama, was also present, where after dancing the Albanian dance with the ensemble from Tirana.

In his speech of the occasion, he said that this festival will be given more flavor and taste by the food and Albanian traditions that will gather in "Adem Jashari" square, in Pristina.

"Food and drink, tradition and play, but not only, but also authentic Albanian music and much more give this year's taste, aroma and sounds to the gastronomy festival here in the 'Adem Jashari of Prishtina' square, in addition to the chefs from Prishtina, comes Tirana comes with the foods of Central Albania, Struga comes with the Albanians of North Macedonia as well as the Arbresh people who continue to preserve the Albanian tradition among the sheikhs", said Rama.

The mayor of Tirana, Erion Veliaj, also felt privileged that Tirana food will be prepared at this festival.

"I feel privileged that Tirana is opening this fantastic gastronomy festival.

I think this is more of an activity to fill the heart to fill our soul.

I believe that the food of the soul and heart is many times more important than that of the stomach," he said.

Bradha Smajli, coordinator of the "Prishtina Gastronomy Festival", said that the festival aims to promote Albanian gastronomy.

"This festival aims to promote Albanian gastronomy and also promote Albanian tradition everywhere.

The purpose of the festival is also to gather chefs from different Albanian lands, starting from Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and we will have international chefs", she told the Telegraph.

For a full 11 days of food, music, entertainment.

For all generations, for all groups, for all society, colleagues and family, there will be a Gastronomy Festival in Pristina, where throughout the nights singers such as Aurela Gaçe, Ramadan Krasniqi Dani, the group Minatores, Fisnikits and others will perform.

While during the day there will be various cooking classes, where you will have the opportunity to learn special dishes from the most famous chefs.

The playground is reserved for children, and entertainment for all generations at the "Prishtina Gastronomy Festival" is guaranteed.