|
|
 | ||
|
|
Southeast European Politics Online
ABSTRACT Despite recent tensions and problems, the democratization process in the Republic of Macedonia has brought some relaxation in the country with regard to interethnic relations. The members of nationalities in Macedonia enjoy protection of their ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and religious identity and are represented in the institutions of the system. The model established for the protection of minority rights in Macedonia is grounded in a historically deeply-rooted feeling of mutual understanding and tolerance in the collective memory of the people, as well as in standards of international law and practice in this sphere. This article discusses interethnic relations in Macedonia, with a particular focus on the Albanian population. It traces legal and political developments during the past decade and seeks to identify reasons for the recent violence in Macedonia. 1. IntroductionHaving maintained a more or less successful coexistence between various nationalities, and having made efforts to improve the situation and to solve the problems that appeared concerning periodic ethnic tensions, the Republic of Macedonia succeeded in not participating in the war that followed the dissolution of former Yugoslavia, and gained independence by peaceful means. The Albanian nationality is the most numerous nationality in the Republic of Macedonia. One-third lives concentrated in areas of western Macedonia near to neighboring Albania and Kosovo. Albanians in Macedonia, despite the constant complains about their treatment as “second-class citizens” in the post independence political system, have, unlike their Kosovo brethren, used their constitutional and political opportunities to play a significant role in national politics. In 1990, the Albanian nationality in the Republic of Macedonia formed political parties that have been included in all post-communist Macedonian governments. Twenty-five Albanians (from two Albanian parties), one Roma from the Party of the Romas in Macedonia, and several Serbs, Turks and Vlachs, won seats in the 1998 parliamentary elections. The government coalition, in power since November 1998, gives the DPA (Democratic Party of Albanians) one deputy prime minister, five ministers, five deputy ministers, and a proportional share in the management of public institutions. DPA is willing to work within the structures of the Macedonian state as long as Albanians are treated equally. Their demands for improved education, especially an Albanian-language university, and equal employment opportunities, are aimed at improving Albanian status as a community within the state structures rather than creating a parallel society as in Kosovo. However,
the February 2001 occupation of Tanusevci, an ethnic Albanian village on
Macedonia’s northern border, by ethnic Albanian extremists, as well as
violent conflicts in the region of Tetovo and Kumanovo, opened a new phase
of security and inter-ethnic instability in Macedonia, and in the region.
The troubles in Kosovo and southern Serbia appear to be spreading to
Macedonia, perhaps with the aim of destroying the Macedonian model of good
interethnic and intercultural relations, and could jeopardize the
stability of the region and of Europe. Download
complete article in PDF
| ||
|
| |||
| ©
SEEP, 1999-2001. Last Update: September, 2001. |
