Zaev seeks Albanian votes to change constitution

Albanian political parties have different positions regarding possible benefits from constitutional changes for implementation of the name agreement with Greece.

Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bujar Osmani says that with the adoption of constitutional changes next week and the resolution of the name dispute with Greece, the main goal of Albanians -- the country's NATO membership -- which according to him -- guarantees peace, security and economic development -- is realised. With that, the launch of talks with the EU and the law's entry into force for the use of languages, which advances the official status of Albanian, according to Osman, the main demands of Albanians in Macedonia are achieved.

There is no more important process for Albanians at the moment, but also for all citizens of Macedonia than the outcome of constitutional changes that will pave the way for NATO and the EU. NATO membership guarantees peace, stability, economic development, guarantees the future and we are satisfied with this process, rounds up a dream of our generations and our commitment to membership in the North Atlantic Alliance”, Osmani declares.

But, for the Alliance for Albanians and the constitutional changes currently in the last phase for approval, next week will not bring any change in the constitutional position of Albanians for equality.

There is nothing for Albanians in these constitutional changes. Some cosmetic modifications that try to make Prime Minister Zoran Zaev have nothing social. Again, it is tried at all costs, even with new constitutional changes to emphasize that Macedonia is a state of the Macedonian nation and other ethnic components”, says Elmi Ashir, by the Alliance for Albanians, which along with the Besa Movement has submitted several amendments for the advancement of The position of Albanians in Macedonia, both the making of Albanian citizens and the definition of Albanian as the official language, not as the language spoken by 20 percent by the general population.

Assyri says that 2018 was disappointing for Albanians, since they, according to the deputy leader of this opposition party, achieved none of the goals, but also the promises given by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, as it stops in the Albanian-language Law, which has not yet received concrete epilogue.

We arrived with the coalition agreement to pass an Albanian-language law, yet that law is not signed by the head of state and is not yet in force. This presents a great disappointment to Albanians and a continuation of an old logic of Albanian policymaking and ethnicity in Macedonia”, Asia notes.

It also highlights the state budget for 2019, which, according to him, does not distinguish from the budgets of past years in terms of sharing tools. More money, according to him, continues to be designated in areas inhabited by Macedonian populations in the eastern part of the country, thus bypassing rural areas inhabited by the Albanian population.

Even from the Albanian Intellectual Forum, disappointments are expressed against what Albanians have achieved, who, as they underline, have given much of the consolidation of this state that was close to a major destabilisation over the proximity of surveillance, protests, judicial processes and events on April 27th.

“I think that the year 2018 has not been successful for Albanians, and I think that out of all these Albanian force explosions, they will reveal an experience that will be used in 2019”, has declared the Pollozhan Relief from the Albanian Intellectual Forum.

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, meanwhile, has warned that by the day of the debate on approval in the Parliament, he will hold meetings with these parties to convince him of the importance of adopting changes, resolving the name dispute with Greece and paving the way for Euro-Atlantic integration.