Misplaced Pages

Albanians in North Macedonia: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 16:39, 5 December 2018 editKj1595 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users49,703 edits Municipalities with an Albanian majority← Previous edit Revision as of 00:17, 6 December 2018 edit undo2a02:aa12:e200:8d80:3d57:4400:7e29:c944 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit →
Line 366: Line 366:


In the ], three Albanian parties, DUI, DPA, and NDP won 19 seats, seven seats, and one seat, respectively, out of the 123 total seats. Ethnic Albanians parties received just under 21% of the total popular vote.<ref name="SEC">{{cite web|url=http://rezultati.sec.mk/Parliamentary/Results?cs=en-US&r=2&rd=r&eu=All&m=All&ps=All|title=Early Parliamentary and Presidential Elections 2014|publisher=State Election Commission|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref> In the ], three Albanian parties, DUI, DPA, and NDP won 19 seats, seven seats, and one seat, respectively, out of the 123 total seats. Ethnic Albanians parties received just under 21% of the total popular vote.<ref name="SEC">{{cite web|url=http://rezultati.sec.mk/Parliamentary/Results?cs=en-US&r=2&rd=r&eu=All&m=All&ps=All|title=Early Parliamentary and Presidential Elections 2014|publisher=State Election Commission|accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref>

===Discrimination and Albanophobia===

]"]]
<!-- Deleted image removed: ] -->
Ethnic tensions have simmered in the ] since the end of an ], where the ethnic Albanian ] attacked the security forces of Macedonia with the goal of securing greater rights and autonomy for the ethnic Albanian minority.

The ] was accused of Albanophobia in 2009 after it published its first encyclopedia in which was claimed that the Albanian ], ], means "highlander" and is primarily used by other Balkan peoples to describe Albanians, if used in South Slavic languages the endonym is considered derogatory by the Albanian community. The encyclopaedia also claimed that the Albanians settled the region in the 16th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=10&dd=01&nav_id=62079 |title=B92 - News - Macedonian encyclopedia pulled from shelves |work=B92 |accessdate=9 May 2015 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213040201/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/region-article.php?yyyy=2009&mm=10&dd=01&nav_id=62079 |archivedate=13 December 2013 }}</ref><ref name="BBC Alb">{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/albanian/regionalnews/2009/09/090921_nayi_enciklopedia.shtml | title=Dënohet Enciklopedia maqedonase | publisher=BBC | accessdate=28 November 2012 | author=Rashidi, Nazim}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/Macedonian_Encyclopedia_Sparks_Balkan_Ethnic_Row/1830215.html|title=Macedonian Encyclopedia Sparks Balkan Ethnic Row|work=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|accessdate=9 May 2015}}</ref> Distribution of the encyclopedia was ceased after a series of public protests.

On 12 April 2012, five ] civilians were shot dead allegedly by ] in an attack known as the ]. On 16 April 2012, in the wake of the attack, an anti-Albanian protest was held in Skopje by ethnic Macedonians in which the participants were recorded chanting “a good ] is a dead Shqiptar” and “gas chambers for Shqiptars”.<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF2LprmkK4M&feature=player_embedded|title=Përleshje mes policisë dhe protestuesve në Shkup|date=16 April 2012|work=YouTube|accessdate=9 May 2015}}</ref>

On 1 March 2013 in ], a mob of ethnic Macedonians protested against the decision to appoint ], an ethnic Albanian politician, as ]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://puls24.mk/makedonija/vesti/-privedeni-nekolkumina-ucesnici-vo-incidentot-pred-vlada | title=Приведени неколкумина учесници во инцидентот пред Влада | publisher=Puls 24 | accessdate=2 March 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302102850/http://puls24.mk/makedonija/vesti/-privedeni-nekolkumina-ucesnici-vo-incidentot-pred-vlada | archive-date=2 March 2013 | dead-url=yes | df=dmy-all }}</ref> The protest turned violent when the mob started hurling stones and also attacking Albanian bystanders and police officers alike. The police reports 3 injured civilians, five injured police officers and much damage to private property. Although the city hospital reported treating five heavily injured Albanian men, two of which are on ]. During this protest part of the mob burned the Albanian flag.

On the 108th anniversary of the ] the museum of the Albanian alphabet in ] was vandalized, the windows and doors were broken. A poster with the words "Death to Albanians" and with the drawing of a lion cutting the heads of the Albanian double-headed eagle was placed on the front doors of the museum.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://tv21.tv/mk/?p=109732 | title=ХУЛИГАНИ ГО ДЕМОЛИРАА МУЗЕЈОТ НА АЛБАНСКАТА АЗБУКА | publisher=21TV | accessdate=22 November 2016}}</ref> One week after this incident, on the day of the ] graffiti with the same messages, as those of the previous week, were placed on the directorate of ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://tv21.tv/web/?p=109822 | title=KËRCËNIM NË FESTËN E FLAMURIT 'VDEKJE SHQIPTARËVE' | publisher=TV-21 | accessdate=28 November 2016}}</ref>


===Nationalism=== ===Nationalism===

Revision as of 00:17, 6 December 2018

"Macedonian Albanians" redirects here; for the Macedonian minority, see Macedonians in Albania.
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (April 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Albanians in North Macedonia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent, third-party sources. (April 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed. (April 2015)
(Learn how and when to remove this message)
Ethnic group
Macedonian Albanians
Shqiptarët e Maqedonisë
Regions with significant populations
 Macedonia509,083 (2002)
Languages
Albanian (Gheg dialect and Tosk dialect), Macedonian
Religion
Predominantly Sunni Islam,
minorities of Bektashi Muslims, small minorities of Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholic Christians and the irreligious.
Related ethnic groups
Albanians
Part of a series on
Albanians
Geographical distribution
Albanian culture
Albanian language
Religion

Albanians are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. Of the 2,022,547 citizens of Macedonia, 509,083, or 25.2%, are Albanian according to the latest national census in 2002. The Albanian minority lives mostly in the north-western part of the country. The largest Albanian communities are in the municipalities of Tetovo (70.3% of the total population), Gostivar (66.7%), Debar (58.1%), Struga (56.8%), Kičevo (54.5%), Kumanovo (25.8%) and Skopje (20.4%).

Population

According to the official census data (held every 10 years), Albanians made up 19% of the total population in 1953. The population fell to 13% in 1961, but grew again in 1971 to 17%. The group formed 19.7% in 1981 and 21% in 1991. At the last census in 2002, the Albanian population was at 25.2%. Ethnologue in 2002 estimated some 500,000 people speaking the Albanian language in Republic of Macedonia. In the decade since the republic declared independence from Yugoslavia, some Albanians have claimed to account for 30% of the population and demanded an appropriate share of power. On the other side, ethnic Macedonians said Albanians were barely 20%. However, the widely accepted number of Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia is according to the internationally monitored 2002 census. The census data estimated that Albanians account for about 25.2% of the total population. The 2012 census was not held and boycotted by the Albanian political parties. In the 2008 Macedonian parliamentary elections, Albanian political parties received 22.61% of the total vote, receiving 29 of 120 seats.

The Albanian population in the country is largely rural with ethnic Albanians forming a majority or plurality in only 3 of the country's 34 cities.

  • Albanians in Macedonia, according to the 1981 census Albanians in Macedonia, according to the 1981 census
  • Predominant ethnic group by settlement with Albanians in brown, 2002 census Predominant ethnic group by settlement with Albanians in brown, 2002 census
  • Linguistic groups by settlement with Albanian-speakers in brown, 2002 census Linguistic groups by settlement with Albanian-speakers in brown, 2002 census
  • Map of the majority ethnic groups of Macedonia by municipality, 2002 census Map of the majority ethnic groups of Macedonia by municipality, 2002 census

Around 35% of the newborns in Macedonia belong to the Albanian ethnic minority. In 2017, 21,754 children were born in Macedonia. The ethnic affiliation of these newborns was: 11,260 (51.76%) Macedonian; 7,404 (34.03%) Albanians; 940 (4.32%) Turkish; 1,276 (5.87%) Roma; 40 (0.18%) Vlach; 129 (0.59%) Serbian; 213 (0.98%) Bosniaks; 492 (2,26%) other ethnic affiliation and unknown.

Newborns in Macedonia according to ethnic group
Ethnic group 1994 2002 2012 2017
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Macedonians 16,704 49.88 13,639 49.13 11,995 50.89 11,260 51.76
Albanians 12,010 35.86 10,118 36.45 8,035 34.09 7,404 34.03
Turks 1,616 4.83 1,202 4.33 1,092 4.63 940 4.32
Romani 1,378 4.11 1,678 6.04 1,552 6.59 1,276 5.87
Serbs 403 1.20 168 0.61 125 0.53 129 0.59
Bosniaks 251 1.06 213 0.98
Vlach (Aromanians) 25 0.07 23 0.08 37 0.16 40 0.18
other / unspecified 1,351 4.03 933 3.36 481 2.04 492 2.26
Total 33,487 27,761 23,568 21,754

Municipalities with an Albanian majority

Of the 80 municipalities in the country, 15 have an ethnic Albanian majority following the 2013 Macedonian territorial reforms.

Emblem Municipality
Општина
Komunë
Area
km² (sq mi)
Population (2002) Mayor
Градоначалник
Kryetar/e
Total %
Aračinovo
Haraçinë
31.3 km (12.1 sq mi) 10,789 93.8% Milikie Halimi
Bogovinje
Bogovinë
141.65 km (54.69 sq mi) 27,614 95.2% Albon Xhemaili
Brvenica
Bërvenicë
164.3 km (63.4 sq mi) 9,770 61.6% Enver Pajaziti
Čair
Çair
3.52 km (1.36 sq mi) 36,921 57.0% Visar Ganiu
Debar
Dibër
145.67 km (56.24 sq mi) 11,348 58.1% Ruzhdi Lata
Gostivar
Gostivar
513.39 km (198.22 sq mi) 54,038 66.7% Arben Taravari
File:.svg
Kičevo
Kërçovë
838 km (324 sq mi) 30,927 54.5% Fatmir Dehari
File:.svg
Lipkovo
Likovë
267.82 km (103.41 sq mi) 26,360 97.4% Erkan Arifi
Saraj
Saraj
229.06 km (88.44 sq mi) 32,408 91.5% Bekim Murati
Struga
Strugë
483 km (186 sq mi) 36,029 56.8% Ramis Merko
File:.svg
Studeničani
Studeniçan
276.16 km (106.63 sq mi) 11,793 68.4% Azem Sadiku
File:.svg
Tearce
Tearcë
136.54 km (52.72 sq mi) 18,950 84.4% Isen Asani
Tetovo
Tetovë
261.89 km (101.12 sq mi) 60,886 70.4% Teuta Arifi
File:.svg
Vrapčište
Vrapçisht
157.98 km (61.00 sq mi) 21,101 83.1% Isen Shabani
Želino
Zhelinë
201.04 km (77.62 sq mi) 24,195 99.2% Blerim Sejdiu
*Dollnen Municipality is governed by an Albanian mayor even though its Albanian population stands at 26.37%.

History

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Albanians from Debar in 1863

Shortly after the defeat of Turkey by the Balkan allies, a conference of ambassadors of the Great Powers (Britain, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France, and Italy) convened in London in December 1912 to settle the outstanding issues raised by the conflict. With support given to the Albanians by Austria-Hungary and Italy, the conference agreed to create an independent state of Albania, which became a reality in 1913. However, the boundaries of the new state were drawn in such a way that large areas with Albanian populations remained outside of Albania, including the area that would go on to become the Socialist Republic of Macedonia.

When the Socialist Republic of Macedonia was established in 1946, the constitution guaranteed the right of minorities to cultural development and free use of their language. Minority schools and classes in minority languages were introduced immediately, in order to counter the high percentage of illiteracy among these groups. In the following two decades, the communist party continuously introduced measures meant to promote the incorporation of the Albanian community into the economic and social life of the new socialist state through education, professional training, and social opportunities.

Since the end of World War II, Socialist Republic of Macedonia's population has grown steadily, with the greatest increases occurring in the ethnic Albanian community. From 1953 through the time of the latest census in 2002 (initial results were released December 2003), the percentage of Albanians living in the Republic of Macedonia rose 25.2%. Most of the ethnic Albanians live in the western part of the country. The net influx in the past 30 years has been close to 100,000 Albanians.

Albanians from Štirovica, Gostivar in 1907

In the late 1980s when the autonomy of the province of Kosovo was revoked, and the repression of the Albanian population significantly increased, these developments also took place in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. The Albanian language was removed from public sight, Albanian families were prohibited from naming their children with Albanian names on the ground that it caused divisions with the other communities in the republic, and finally, to lower the significantly high birth rate of the Albanian population, Albanian families were prohibited from having more than two children. This assimilative campaign can be clearly seen by the fact that in 1990 the amended Constitution redefined the state from "a state of the Macedonian people and the Albanian and Turkish nationalities" to a "national state of the Macedonian people".

In 1994 the US Department of State's Report on Human Rights in Macedonia reports that the following forms of discrimination against ethnic Albanian continue to exist in Macedonia: limited access to Albanian-language media and education; poor representation in public sector jobs; poor representation in the police corps; poor representation in the military officer corps; denial of citizenship to many long-time ethnic Albanian residents of Macedonia as well as discrimination in the process of citizenship applications; and unfair drawing of voting districts which dilutes their voting strength.

In the September 2002 elections, an SDSM-led pre-election coalition won half of the 120 seats in parliament. Branko Crvenkovski was elected Prime Minister in coalition with the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) party and the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP).

Politics

Albanian political parties

The Republic of Macedonia has a few Albanian parties. The Democratic Union for Integration (DUI) and the Democratic Party of Albanians are the two largest Albanian political parties in the country. In the 2008 Macedonian parliamentary elections, DUI won 11.3% of the total vote, while DPA got 10.1%. However, due to pre-election fights between the two main Albanian political parties, some Albanian areas of the country have revoted.

In the 2011 Macedonian parliamentary elections, Albanian parties received 20.96% of the total popular vote. DUI received 10.2% of the vote, giving it 15 seats. This is a loss of 3 seats from the previous elections. DPA received 5.9% of the vote, winning 8 seats which is also a drop of 3 seats from the 2008 election. The third Albanian party to receive seats in parliament is the National Democratic Revival party which received two seats with 2.7% of the vote.

In the 2014 elections, three Albanian parties, DUI, DPA, and NDP won 19 seats, seven seats, and one seat, respectively, out of the 123 total seats. Ethnic Albanians parties received just under 21% of the total popular vote.

Discrimination and Albanophobia

Anti-Albanian inscription written in Macedonian on a mosque, meaning "Death for Albanians"

Ethnic tensions have simmered in the Republic of Macedonia since the end of an armed conflict in 2001, where the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army attacked the security forces of Macedonia with the goal of securing greater rights and autonomy for the ethnic Albanian minority.

The Macedonian Academy for Science and Art was accused of Albanophobia in 2009 after it published its first encyclopedia in which was claimed that the Albanian endonym, Shqiptar, means "highlander" and is primarily used by other Balkan peoples to describe Albanians, if used in South Slavic languages the endonym is considered derogatory by the Albanian community. The encyclopaedia also claimed that the Albanians settled the region in the 16th century. Distribution of the encyclopedia was ceased after a series of public protests.

On 12 April 2012, five ethnic Macedonian civilians were shot dead allegedly by ethnic Albanian in an attack known as the Železarsko lake killings. On 16 April 2012, in the wake of the attack, an anti-Albanian protest was held in Skopje by ethnic Macedonians in which the participants were recorded chanting “a good Shqiptar is a dead Shqiptar” and “gas chambers for Shqiptars”.

On 1 March 2013 in Skopje, a mob of ethnic Macedonians protested against the decision to appoint Talat Xhaferi, an ethnic Albanian politician, as Minister of Defence The protest turned violent when the mob started hurling stones and also attacking Albanian bystanders and police officers alike. The police reports 3 injured civilians, five injured police officers and much damage to private property. Although the city hospital reported treating five heavily injured Albanian men, two of which are on Intensive-care unit. During this protest part of the mob burned the Albanian flag.

On the 108th anniversary of the Congress of Manastir the museum of the Albanian alphabet in Bitola was vandalized, the windows and doors were broken. A poster with the words "Death to Albanians" and with the drawing of a lion cutting the heads of the Albanian double-headed eagle was placed on the front doors of the museum. One week after this incident, on the day of the Albanian Declaration of Independence graffiti with the same messages, as those of the previous week, were placed on the directorate of Pelister National Park.

Nationalism

Main article: Albanian nationalism in the Republic of Macedonia

Current issues

See also: Human rights in the Republic of Macedonia

Amongst the unemployed, Albanians are highly overrepresented. In public institutions as well as many private sectors they are underrepresented. They also face discrimination by public officials and employers. According to the United States' Country Report on Human Rights 2012 for Macedonia "certain ministries declined to share information about ethnic makeup of employees". The same report also added:

"...ethnic Albanians and other national minorities, with the exception of ethnic Serbs and Vlachs, were underrepresented in the civil service and other state institutions, including the military, the police force, and the intelligence services, as well as the courts, the national bank, customs, and public enterprises, in spite of efforts to recruit qualified candidates from these communities. Ethnic Albanians constituted 18 percent of army personnel, while minority communities as a whole accounted for 25 percent of the population according to statistics provided by the government."

Culture

Albanian catholic family from Skopje

The spoken dialects of the Albanian language are Gheg, by majority, and Tosk in parts of the south. Education in Albanian language is provided in all levels, including university levels, such as State University of Tetovo, South East European University, also in Tetovo.

The main religion among Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia is Islam (see Islam in the Republic of Macedonia), though there are some who are Roman Catholic, with the most prominent member Agnes (Anjeza) Bojaxhiu, also known as Mother Teresa. There are also a few Orthodox Christian Albanian villages located in Gostivar, Reka, and scattered in the southeast. They are remnants of a once larger Albanian Orthodox population in the area, and some fear that they will be "assimilated and forgotten".

Pjetër Bogdani (ca. 1630 - 1689), known in Italian as Pietro Bogdano, is the most original writer of early literature in Albania. He is author of the Cuneus Prophetarum (The Band of the Prophets), 1685, the first prose work of substance written originally in Albania. Born in Gur i Hasit, Has, near Kukës district, Albania about 1630, Bogdani was educated in the traditions of the Catholic Church to which he devoted all his energy. His uncle Andrea or Ndre Bogdani (ca. 1600-1683) was Archbishop of Skopje and author of a Latin-Albanian grammar, now lost.

Notable people

History and politics

Military

Science and academia

Arts, music and entertainment

Television and cinema

Sports

See also

References

  1. ^ "2002 Census results" (PDF).
  2. Vladimir Ortakovski (2001): Interethnic relations and minorities in the Republic of Macedonia, Sts. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje
  3. ^ "Macedonia".
  4. Reuters (2 December 2003). "World Briefing - Europe: Macedonia: Overdue Ethnic Census Is Completed" – via NYTimes.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. "Head of UN-created Kosovo Protection Corps arrested - 19:28 - B92" (PDF).
  6. ^ "B92 - News - Region - Grueski victorious in violence-marred Macedonia polls".
  7. "Macedonian census, language and religion" (PDF). stat.gov.mk.
  8. ^ "Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2018, p. 83" (PDF). Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office,. 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  9. "Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 1999, p. 21". Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office,. 1999. Retrieved 20 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  10. "Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2004, p. 65". Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office,. 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  11. "Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2014, p. 79" (PDF). Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office,. 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  12. Milosavlevski and Tomovski, 1997:15, 49-105
  13. Milosavlevski and Tomovski, 1997:205, and Politika ekspres 10-6-1986
  14. Poulton, 1995:122
  15. http://www.refworld.org/docid/469f38b7a.html
  16. "Conservative Leader Claims 3rd Term In Macedonia". NPR. 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  17. "Early Parliamentary and Presidential Elections 2014". State Election Commission. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  18. "B92 - News - Macedonian encyclopedia pulled from shelves". B92. Archived from the original on 13 December 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. Rashidi, Nazim. "Dënohet Enciklopedia maqedonase". BBC. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  20. "Macedonian Encyclopedia Sparks Balkan Ethnic Row". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  21. Përleshje mes policisë dhe protestuesve në Shkup. YouTube. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  22. "Приведени неколкумина учесници во инцидентот пред Влада". Puls 24. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  23. "ХУЛИГАНИ ГО ДЕМОЛИРАА МУЗЕЈОТ НА АЛБАНСКАТА АЗБУКА". 21TV. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  24. "KËRCËNIM NË FESTËN E FLAMURIT 'VDEKJE SHQIPTARËVE'". TV-21. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
  25. "Albanians - Minority Rights Group".
  26. "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, Macedonia". Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. Retrieved 2013-04-26.
  27. State University - Tetovo Archived 2006-09-02 at the Wayback Machine
  28. "Welcome to SEE University Website".
  29. ^ "Orthodox Albanians, assimilated and forgotten in Macedonia". Retrieved 4 January 2012.

Further reading

External links

Ethnic groups in North Macedonia
Officially recognised minorities
Ethnic map of North Macedonia (2002)
Ethnic map of North Macedonia (2002)
Other minority groups
Demographics of North Macedonia
Albanian diaspora
Europe
Americas
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Categories: