Albanian language towards formalisation before local elections in Macedonia

Severe debates over ethnic issues and languages in Macedonia, according to connoisseurs of political issues, are seen as efforts for political gain on the eve of local elections in this country.

A fiercer debate over the Law on the Use of Languages, which envisions official use of Albanian in Macedonia at the central and local level, was held among Macedonian opposition deputies, V MRO DPMNE and Macedonian Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi, who comes from the ranks of the ruling Albanian party, the Democratic Union for Integration.

Given the theme's sensitivity, Mayor Xhaferi had asked MPs not to turn into a pre-election campaign in the country.

Sefer Tahiri, legalising Communication Sciences at the University of Southeast Europe in Tetovo, told Radio Free Europe that Macedonian political parties, depending on whether they are in power or opposition, have different approaches to the demands of Albanians and their collective rights, which include and formalising the Albanian language.

Tahiri recalls that the law, which enables a broader extension of official use of the Albanian language, could be adopted by accelerated procedure due to pressure on the part of Macedonian parties.

“Official use of Albanian language, I think it's trying to use certain political forces when the election campaign should begin. Macedonian society is not prepared until the end to face the demands of Albanians, so it is keen to have the law adopted with this accelerated procedure, behind itself the European flag”, Tahiri said.

According to him, the Macedonian side should have another approach in relation to the collective demands of Albanians.

“The collective rights of Albanians are regarded as normal and not as something extraordinary, as something unnatural to society, and especially for the state of Macedonia because Albanians have clearly articulated these rights and do not give up on to”, Sefer Tahiri stressed.

One of the main demands of Albanian parties at the time of forming and participating in Macedonia's new Government was precisely the Law of Languages, respectively, expanding official use by becoming one of the five main points of the Albanian political parties' platform.

Awareers of political issues say that the insistence of the Albanian political parties in power, that the Law on Language pass before the elections has to do with this law shortly after the adoption is exploited as profitable currency before the Albanian electorate in exchange for their vote.

“Both VMRO DPMNE and Albanian parties that are part of the government of Zoran Zaev insist that the Law for Use of Languages Before Local Elections be adopted in order to use the same for electoral political purposes” says Tahiri.

On the other hand, Mitko Gagjovski, the legalist of political science, told Radio Free Europe that as long as everything is seen under party interest prism, this, according to him, speaks of the low level of democracy.

“Why does it become a language policy? -Given that we as a democracy function a short timeline, 26 or 27 years respectively, political culture is very low, and from here I would say all problems with the functioning of the legal institution, problems that in no way correspond to the functioning of developed democratic states that are part of the European family, in which Macedonia is meant to walk as state” said Gaxovski.

“The strategy used for adopting this Law concerns the need for it to obtain visas from the Assembly without being subjected to deadlocks as a result of prolonged debates”, Gagovski points out.

Unlike Macedonia's Assembly, debate takes place on the first reading of the Law on the Use of Languages by defining Albanian as a language forging over 20 percent of the population, thus envisioning a broader extent of official English - language moderation at all levels.

The same law is believed to be adopted before holding local elections, which are scheduled to be held on 15 October.