AA welcomes PM’s readiness to discuss constitutional definition of Albanian language
Skopje, 25 October 2022 (MIA) – We welcome the Prime Minister’s readiness to discuss removing the 20 percent requirement, and defining the Albanian language in the Constitution, once and for all, as Albanian, the Alliance for Albanians (AA) said in a press release Tuesday, in response to PM Dimitar Kovachevski’s statement that the parties should sit for talks over the constitutional amendments in order to find an acceptable solution.
“We warn all political actors that their approach to the topic of 20 percent is wrong, obsolete and based on trade logic. Therefore, we call on you to change your approach! The Constitution should reflect the values that we are oriented towards as a country and as a society. Everyone has to understand that they are not a monarch, but a head of a political entity and that the political, social and ethnic rights of the citizens belong only to the citizens, and not to the monarch who conditions one right with another. The Albanian language in the Constitution of North Macedonia has the right of the past as an indigenous language in these parts, and the present right as a language spoken by at least 1/3 of the population. The Constitution should be based on a pro-western concept and give freedom to the citizens, and not to the Bolsheviks who limit the citizens’ freedoms,” reads the press release.
According to the Alliance for Albanians, the Albanian political parties must discuss this issue among themselves first, so they can form a joint position and avoid needlessly competing against each other.
“As for the format of the discussions of this issue and other issues outside of the Albanian political factor, we believe that this issue gains importance when the four largest political entities in the country sit down for talks,” the press release adds. ad/nn/