Skopje, 15 November 2023 (MIA) – No one can pressure the Macedonians in Albania in terms of how they identify in the census, said Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani in answer to a journalist’s question on Wednesday regarding complaints from the Macedonian community in Albania over pressure from Bulgaria.

“Regarding the census in the Republic of Albania, as you know, I have made several public statements in the past. Firstly, in a press release the MFA urged all Macedonians to identify on the basis of their personal feelings, because no one can pressure them, nor influence what they identify as. Of course, we also spoke with the Albanian authorities, our Embassy is active in that field, not only with the municipalities, not only with the Macedonian national minority, but also with the Government, and I hope that all citizens made use of their right, and identified themselves [in the census] on the basis of their personal feelings,” said Osmani.

The leader of an ethnic Macedonian political party in Albania – Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI), Vasil Sterjovski, said in a statement during the weekend that the Macedonian population faced immense pressure from Bulgaria during the census, adding that this was permitted by Albania.

Sterjovski said the party has submitted all registered irregularities and attempts to influence the census to the Government of Albania and all foreign embassies in the country.

He stressed that pressure was exerted on citizens who have applied for Bulgarian passports in order to find work in EU countries.