Fwd: Macedonians in Albania Demand Their Rights
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Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 17:22:03 +0300 (EEST)
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Subject: Fwd: Macedonians in Albania Demand Their Rights
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Greek Helsinki Monitor
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Fwd: Macedonians in Albania Demand Their Rights
MILS NEWS
Skopje, Tuesday, October 23, 2001
MILS SUPPLEMENT
("Dnevnik", October 22, 2001)
MACEDONIANS IN ALBANIA DEMAND THEIR RIGHTS
At the conference in organization of the European Council held Friday
in Tirana, national minorities in Albania spoke up, demanding
realization of their basic rights i.e. right to education in their
mother language, right to informing as well as participation in state
administrative sphere.
Macedonians, Greeks, Serbs, Montenegrins, Aromanians and other
minorities at the conference Friday demanded a chance to freely
express their national belonging and religious affiliation at the next
population census. They also requested restoration of toponyms and
their personal names. Thursday and Friday in Tirana, European Council
organized a seminar dedicated to the implementation of the Framework
Convention on Protection of Minority Rights in Albania.
This was an opportunity for national minorities to speak up, despite
government efforts to silence them. After decade of democracy, the
status and treatment of minorities in Albania has been perceived. In
Albania, minorities count for 40% (total population 3 million).
Nonetheless, they are being deprived of their elementary rights. At
the seminar, members of Albanian government repeatedly attempted to
control or more precisely interrupt presentation of Macedonians,
Greeks, Serbs, Montenegrins, Aromanians, Roma, and Egyptians, but
their efforts remain futile. As concluded at the seminar, Albanian
authorities must resolve minority issues before they develop into
problems. Heads of Macedonian associations in Albania "Mir" and
"Prespa" - Kimet Fetahu and Edmond Temelko, Head of Greek Association
"Omonia" Vangel Dule, Head of Serb-Montenegrin Association " Moraca -
Morava" - Milan Vaso and others requested realization of their basic
rights i.e. right to education in their mother language, right to
informing as well as participation in state administrative sphere, and
a chance to freely express their national belonging and religious
affiliation at the next population census.
Temelko and Fetahu requested (without response from the government)
restoration of the only Macedonian radio show (broadcast via Radio
Korca until March 2001). Minorities had also requested introduction of
curriculum in mother language in Gora and Golo Brdo. Despite the
significant presence of Macedonian Muslims in these areas, they are
being deprived of their minority status. Rubin Zemon , Representative
of Macedonian Egyptians addressed the seminar commenting on minority
rights in the Balkans and Albania.
The discussants mentioned several positive trends in recent years -
free use of mother language in mutual communication, cherishing of
folklore and traditions as well as the construction of a new school
building in New Gorica.
mils news, October 23, 2001
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