Albanians in Northern Macedonia, A National Minority or Nation-Building State, and the Need for A New Inclusive Platform

Veton Zejnullahi

Abstract

In this paper we will study the position of Albanians in Northern Macedonia and will try to argue with facts that their position is not the right one, given their large population as well as the contribution that Albanians made to different stages of history towards the constitution of the state, especially in the circumstances created in the last decade of the last century when the former Yugoslavia entered the spiral of violence that resulted in the destruction of the common state. It was at this time that Albanians were very active in the referendum on the independence of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia from the former SFRY, making a major contribution to its realization. Ironically, however, at this time the denial of Albanian national rights by treating them as a national minority began, which in turn led to the armed conflict in 2001 that ended after the international community intervened and brought the parties to the table. of the negotiations that resulted in the Ohrid Framework Agreement, which was the starting point for new relations and the more advanced constitutional position of Albanians. We will also argue for the need to create a new inclusive platform that largely determines the future of Albanians but also of the state in general Keywords: North Macedonia, platform, Ohrid Agreement, international community, former Yugoslavia

Presentation