Macedonian Albanians Condition Gov't Participation

The parties have in general stepped up their demands ahead of the June 5 early elections, requesting written guarantees from the candidates for prime minister.

They are all asking for the introduction of the Albanian language as an official language on the entire Macedonian territory and for one of the three leading political positions- head of state, prime minister, or parliament speaker- to be reserved for the Albanian community.

The Albanian language is currently considered an official language in areas where ethnic Albanians make up at least 20 per cent of the population, and the group must be proportionally represented in the state administration, according to the Ohrid Peace Agreement, but no laws stipulate that specific posts must be filled by members of the minority.

Menduh Thaci, the head of the opposition Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, has already stated in a press conference that he “will not take part in the future government unless we receive such guarantees”.

Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, which is currently the junior ruling party, also recently said that he will insist on a “written agreement” with the future prime minister, a stance echoed by Rufi Osmani, the head of the newly formed National Democratic Rebirth party, in Dnevnik daily.

The head of the New Democracy party, Imer Selmani, told Balkan Insight that if his party is invited to enter government, he will “insist that the party platform be incorporated in the government agenda”.

In the 20 years since Macedonia became independent, it has become customary for the winner of the Albanian bloc to be invited to join the government, which has been formed by the leading ethnic Macedonian party.

Albanians make up about one quarter of Macedonia’s population.

Imer Ismaili, a local political analyst and professor at the State University in Tetovo, argues that the reason for the demands for guarantees by the Albanian parties is their experience with current Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski of the VMRO DPMNE, who has, Ismaili said, in large part managed to ignore Albanian demands over the past six years.

Various opinion polls show that Gruevski’s right wing party is expected to win the upcoming elections.

“His rule has caused great damage to Macedonia and furthered distrust among both ethnic groups,” Ismaili told Balkan Insight.

Ismaili says that Gruevski managed to completely marginalize his junior partners, currently the DUI and previously the DPA, and that he has neglected the main principles of the Ohrid Peace Accord, a deal that ended the armed conflict between ethnic Albanian rebels and state security forces in 2001.

The deal promised greater rights to the Albanians, such as the introduction of their language as a second official language in the areas where they form the majority, freedom to erect the Albanian flag in those areas as well as proportional inclusion of Albanians in state administration, police and military.

Ismaili, who says that the Ohrid agreement is “dead in practice”, supports the move for guarantees by the Albanian parties.

“It is good if they sign a pre-coalition agreement. That way they will not only participate in the government but be able to actually fulfill their platforms,” Ismaili points out.