The author of the masterpiece “The General of the Dead Army,” the renowned writer Ismail Kadare, was granted the Decree of Kosovar citizenship by President Vjosa Osmani on Monday in Tirana, Albania.

Osmani congratulated Kadare, whom she referred to as a national treasure, on joining the extended family of Kosovo.

“Welcome, Ismail Kadare, to the large Kosovo family! May your narratives continue to captivate the world, reminding us of the power of literature to shape perspectives, challenge norms, and inspire dialogue!” Osmani wrote on Facebook.

Vjosa Osmani signed this decree on August 1, 2023.

Earlier this year, she awarded Ismail Kadare with the “Hasan Prishtina” order, the highest honor bestowed by the Republic of Kosovo on distinguished figures in culture, art, and society.

Ismail Kadare, born on January 28, 1936, in Gjirokastër, is an Albanian novelist and poet whose work delved into the history and culture of his country, gaining international recognition, according to Britannica.

Kadare, whose father worked at the post office, attended the University of Tirana. He later studied at the Gorky Institute of World Literature in Moscow. Upon returning to Albania in 1960, he worked as a journalist and then pursued a literary career.

He faced periods of controversy in his homeland during Enver Hoxha’s long rule, alternately praising and criticizing the dictatorial government. In 1990, feeling threatened by the government and fearing arrest, Kadare defected to France.

He is the author of numerous masterpieces and has been anticipated to win the Nobel Prize in Literature for many years but has not yet received it.

Some of Kadare’s notable works include “The Castle” (1970), “Chronicle in Stone” (1971), “The General of the Dead Army” (1963), “The Three-Arched Bridge” (1978), “Broken April” (1978), and “The Wedding” (1968).