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| Flag of the Macedonian dominated district of Pustec. |
| Total population |
|---|
| 4,697 (by language 1989)[1] - 30,000[2] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Liqenas (Pustec), Gora, |
| Languages |
| Religion |
|
Predominantly Eastern Orthodox and Muslim |
| Related ethnic groups |
|
Other ethnic Macedonians |
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Macedonians of Albania, also called Prespan Macedonians, are an officially recognized ethnic minority in Albania[3][4]. In the 1989 census, 4,697[5] people declared themselves Macedonian. The condition of the Macedonian population living in the Prespa area is described in positive terms and particular praise is given since all the villages of the area have classes in their mother tongue. [6] Macedonian organizations allege that the government undercounts their number and that they are politically under-represented, arguing there are no Macedonians in the Albanian parliament.[7] Past Helsinki reports stated, "Albania recognizes [...] a Macedonian minority, but only in the Southern regions. Those who identify as Macedonians [...] outside these minority regions are denied the minority rights granted in the south, including minority classes at state schools." [8] Some say there is disagreement among the Slavic-speaking Albanian citizens as to whether they are members of the Macedonian nation, as a significant percentage are Torbeš.
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Areas inhabited by Macedonians
Most Macedonians live in the Mala Prespa and Golo Brdo area. The region is located west of Lake Ohrid and Prespa and forms the western most part of the Macedonia region including areas of the Korçë, Pogradec and Devoll districts (sometimes considered to be a part of Aegean Macedonia). Many Macedonians can be found in the following villages: Lajthizë, Pustec, Zaroshka, Tserje, Šulin, Glubočani, Dolna Gorica, Bezmishti and Gorna Gorica. From the administrative point of view, the nine villages of the Macedonian minority constitute the Commune of Prespa, with the village of Pustec being the center. The villages of Progun, Rakitsko, Suec, Zagradec and Vrbnik are also Macedonian villages found in the Devoll District[citation needed].
Many inhabitants of the Gora region are known as Torbês, whose number has been estimated at c. 40,000 - 120,000.[9] External estimates on the population of Macedonians in Albania include 10,000,[10] whereas Macedonian sources have claimed 120,000 - 350,000 Macedonians in Albania [11][12]
Despite high levels of emigration the official number of people registering as Macedonians in Albania has nearly doubled over the last 50 years:
- 1950 - 2,273
- 1955 - 3,341
- 1960 - 4,235
- 1979 - 4,097
- 1989 - 4,697
Education
There is a general high school in Liqenas, one eight-year school in Dolna Gorica and six elementary schools in Djellas, Lajthize, Zaroshke, Gorna Gorica, Kallamas and Globočani. There are eight-year schools at the two biggest villages of the commune, Liqenas and Gorice e Madhe, where 20 percent of the texts are held at the mother tongue language. At the centre of the commune there is a high school as well. The history of the Macedonian people is a special subject at the school. All minority schools have twin partnerships with counterparts in Macedonia.[13] All the teaching personnel is local and with the proper education.[14]
Macedonian organizations
In September 1991 the "Bratska" Political Association of Macedonian in Albania (BPAMA) was established. Other Macedonian organizations include Macedonian Alliance for European Integration, Prespa, Mir (Peace), Bratstvo (Brotherhood) and the MED (Macedonian Aegean Society)[15].
Religion
The Macedonians in Albania are primarily Orthodox or Muslim. The Torbeshi are Muslim, they are primarily found in the Gora region. While the Macedonians found in the Prespa and Golo Brdo region are primarily Orthodox. The Community is currently in the process of building the first of many Macedonian Orthodox Churches [16][17]. The Church 'St. Michael the Archangel' was started in the early 2000s. A new church is that of Saint Mary for which a considerable funding has been given by the Macedonian Orthodox Church.[14]
Macedonian media
The local radio of Korçë broadcasts the Fote Nikola (Macedonian: Фоте Никола) program which comprises news bulletins and songs in Macedonian for the Macedonian minority in Albania for half an hour each day. The local TV station has also released programs from the Republic of Macedonia.[18] On November 7, 2002 the first private Macedonian language radio station was set up. It is known as Radio Prespa.[13] Many Macedonian language newspapers have been launched but most have failed due to finanial reasons, the only Macedonian journal is the quarterly Prespa newspaper[19].
Representation in Government
At present there is no Macedonian in the Albanian Parliament. But many of the Local Government representatives are Macedonian. The mayor of Pustec/Liqenas is Edmond Vangjel Themelko according to 2007 local elections. He is a Macedonian. There are Macedonians represented in the districts of Zvezda and Gorna Gorica.[20]
2009 minority study
In March 2009, the Commission for Minority Issues of the Foreign Ministry of Albania announced the results of its study about the national minorities in the country. According to the study, there are 4.148 Macedonians (0.14% of the total population) living in the country. The mayor of Liqenas (Pustec) Edmond Temelko critisiced the report and said that "this number once again proves that the Albanian Government denies the existence of the Macedonian minority". He stated that the population of Liqenas, which is mainly populated by ethnic Macedonians, is even 5.300 and that the Macedonian minority in Albania makes up 150.000. The ethnic Macedonian organisations of Albania announced they will complain at Albanian institutions and international organisations.[21][22]
Notable Macedonians from Albania
- Luan Starova - Poet, Writer and Politician born in Pogradec
- Edmond Temelko - Mayor of the Pustec Commune, Politician and Ethnic Macedonian activist
- Spase Ilinden - Macedonian language Writer and Poet
- Kimet Fetahu - Doctor and Professor
- Nikola Berovski
- Sterjo Spasse - Writer
See also
External links
- http://www.macedoniansinalbania.org
- Albanian Helsinki Committee report on the Macedonians in Albania
- Latest Edition of the Prespa Newspaper
- Osce report of Minorities in Albania
- Republic of Albania
- ODIHR
- Photos of Macedonians in Albania
Multimedia
- A video about the Ethnic Minority with both Albanian and Macedonian sources
- Macedonians in Gora celebrating Gjurgovden
- Macedonians in Pustec, Albania
References
- ^ 1989 census LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT AND DECENTRALIZATION: CASE OF ALBANIA. HISTORY, REFORMES AND CHALLENGES
- ^ http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/albania.php?aid=422
- ^ OSCE INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
- ^ Council of Europe 2004-2008
- ^ Artan Hoxha and Alma Gurraj, "Local Self-Government and Decentralization: Case of Albania. History, Reforms and Challenges". In: Local Self Government and Decentralization in South - East Europe. Proceedings of the workshop held in Zagreb, Croatia. 6 April 2001. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb Office, Zagreb 2001, pp 194-224
- ^ Minority Rights in Albania, page 3 - Albanian Helsinki Committee, September 1999
- ^ Interview with Edmond Temelko, president of the Macedonian organization “Prespa” in Albania
- ^ Helsinki report
- ^ M. Apostolov, "The Pomaks: A Religious Minority in The Balkans", (1996)
- ^ Landesinformationen: AlbINFO by albanien.ch
- ^ 2003 OSCE - Macedonian Minority in Albania
- ^ Jakim Sinadinovski, Macedonian Muslims, Then and Now
- ^ a b U.S.ENGLISH Foundation Official Language Research - Albania: Language in everyday life
- ^ a b http://www.ahc.org.al/deklarata/Report%20on%20the%20macedonian%20minority.pdf
- ^ The Macedonian Minority in Albania
- ^ Macedonians in Albania
- ^ Minority Rights in Albania, Albanian Helsinki Committee, September 1999
- ^ Under the direct auspices of the Albanian Helsinki Committee, from September 1999 to September 2000, an intensive work was carried out for the realization of the project “On the status of the minorities in the Republic of Albania”. This project was financed by the Finnish Foundation ‘KIOS’, “Finnish NGO Foundation for Human Rights”
- ^ Macedonian Human Rights Movement International
- ^ Makedonski Icelenuchki Almanac '97, Matitsa na Icelenitsite od Makedonija; Skopje: 1997; p.60-61
- ^ Večer Online
- ^ Dnevnik newspaper
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