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The History of
Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia |
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The History of Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia |
Since the end of the Second World War, Macedonia's
population has grown steadily, with the greatest
increases occurring in the ethnic Albanian
community. From 1953 through the time of the
latest census in 2002 (initial results were
released December 2003), the percentage of
Albanians living in Macedonia rose 31.3%. The
western part of the country, where most ethnic
Albanians live, is the most heavily populated,
with approximately 40% of the total population.
The net influx in the past 30 years has been close
to 100,000 Albanians.
In the late 1980s when the autonomy of the
province of Kosovo was revoked, and the repression
of the Albanian population significantly
increased, these developments also took place in
the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. The Albanian
language was removed from public sight, Albanian
families were prohibited from naming their
children with Albanian names on the ground that it
caused divisions with the other communities in the
republic, and finally, to lower the significantly
high birth rate of the Albanian population,
Albanian families were prohibited from having more
than two children (Milosavlevski and Tomovski,
1997:205, and Politika ekspres 10-6-1986). This
assimilative campaign can be clearly seen by the
fact that in 1990 the amended Constitution
redefined the state from "a state of the
Macedonian people and the Albanian and Turkish
nationalities" to a "national state of the
Macedonian people"
In January 1992, some Albanians organized a
referendum on territorial autonomy. The Macedonian
government claimed this was an attempt to secede
and began a crackdown by declaring the referendum
illegal. The Council of Albanian Political Parties
in the Former Yugoslavia, an organization that
represents ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, Montenegro,
Serbia proper and the Republic of Macedonia,
promptly decided that autonomy would only be a
possibility for Albanians in the Republic of
Macedonia if other democratic efforts failed to
procure political and cultural rights.
Ethnic minority grievances, which had erupted on
occasion (1995 and 1997), rapidly began to gain
political currency in late 2000, leading many in
the ethnic Albanian community in Macedonia to
question their minority protection under, and
participation in, the government. Tensions erupted
into open hostilities in Macedonia in February
2001, when a group of ethnic Albanians near the
Kosovo border carried out armed provocations that
soon escalated into an insurgency. Purporting to
fight for greater civil rights for ethnic
Albanians in Macedonia, the group seized territory
and launched attacks against government forces.
Many observers ascribed other motives to the
so-called National Liberation Army (NLA),
including support for criminality and the
assertion of political control over affected
areas. The insurgency spread through northern and
western Macedonia during the first half of 2001.
Under international mediation, a cease-fire was
brokered in July 2001, and the government
coalition was expanded in July 2001 to include the
major opposition parties.
The expanded coalition of ruling ethnic Macedonian
and ethnic Albanian political leaders, with
facilitation by U.S. and European Union (EU)
diplomats, negotiated and then signed the Ohrid
Framework Agreement in August 2001, which brought
an end to the fighting. The agreement called for
implementation of constitutional and legislative
changes, which lay the foundation for improved
civil rights for minority groups. The Macedonian
parliament adopted the constitutional changes
outlined in the accord in November 2001. The grand
coalition disbanded following the signing of the
Ohrid Framework Agreement and the passage of new
constitutional amendments. A coalition led by
Prime Minister Georgievski, including DPA and
several smaller parties, finished out the
parliamentary term.
In September 2002 elections, an SDSM-led
pre-election coalition won half of the 120 seats
in parliament. Branko Crvenkovski was elected
Prime Minister in coalition with the ethnic
Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI)
party and the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP).
Differences between the Ancient Macedonians and
the Ancient Greeks
To get involved in the debate for Ancient
Macedonia, click here! |
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The History of Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia |
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Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia, According to the 2002 Census
Albanians (Shqiptare in Albanian, Албанци/Albanci
in Macedonian) are the largest ethnic minority in
the Republic of Macedonia. The largest Albanian
communities live in the regions of Tetovo (Tetova),
Skopje (Shkupi), Gostivar (Gostivari), Debar (Dibra),
Kicevo (Kerçova),..
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Albanian
Second Largest City in Macedonia Tetovo
Tetovo is located at the foothills of the Shar
Mountain in north-western Macedonia, 468 m above
the sea level, on the edge of the Polog Valley.
The city is separated by the river Pena, which
flows from the Shar mountain.
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Capital of Macedonia / Skopje |
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Skopje is the capital of the Republic of
Macedonia. As largest city in the country, it is a political,
economic, and cultural center of Macedonia. It lies on the upper
course of the Vardar River and is located on a major north-south
Balkan route between Belgrade and Athens.
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