Macedonians and Greeks Join Forces against Albanian Census

[Mactruth]

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/18930/2/

Macedonians and Greeks in Albania have joined forces against official Tirana which has undertaken steps of intimidation against the minorities living there.

According to article 20 of the Census law, there is a $1,000 fine for each citizen who at the census will declare themselves anything other than what was written down on their birth certificate. If this is not intimidating, Albania has said it would jail citizens that would refuse to declare or be counted in the census.
In other words you can say you are Albanian, or the other option is $1,000 fine or jail?

"Official Tirana attempts to hide the true number of Macedonians. They recognize Macedonians in Mala Pespa, but there are plenty of Macedonians in Gora, Golo Brdo, Korcha, Elbasan, Tirana, Drach, Bilista etc" says Edmond Temelko, president of the Macedonian political party.


The Greek minority in Albania agrees with the Macedonian party.

"Albania's census law is discriminatory and inhumane. We have already said that articles 20 and 21 of the Census laws are unacceptable for us. How do you punish and fine someone for declaring their own nationality or if we refuse to sign the census forms", says Tanas Kochi from Greek organization "Omonia".

Both the Macedonian and Greek organization have requested to have their own representatives in the census organization to make sure census numbers are not abused. At the very least the minorities have requested the census be delayed by six months until their demands are met.
Numerous minority groups in Albania claim their numbers are at least 30% of the population, or around 1 million.
Official Tirana puts its number of minorities at 80,000.

[Soldier of Macedon]

How do you punish and fine someone for declaring their own nationality or if we refuse to sign the census forms", says Tanas Kochi from Greek organization "Omonia".

Tanas Kochi should ask his own 'fatherland' some similar questions, given that Greece refuses to recognise its Macedonian minority. Both the Macedonian and Greek minorities in Albania may hold the same position as it relates to this census, but I don't see where the Greeks are actively joining forces with the Macedonians in Albania. Do the Greeks in Albania even acknowledge the Macedonians in that same country? If not, then the title of this article can be considered misleading.

[Mactruth]

Good questions SOM, unfortunately I cannot answer them. The Greeks of Albania have not affected the well being of Macedonia, but if the Greek Republic does comment on the situation the Macedonian government must respond hard, focusing on the juxtaposition Greece would present by demanding minority rights while denying minority rights.

[George S.]

isn't it ridiculous that the albanian govt hopes to win.But it's good the greek & macedonians have banded together & united together they would be stronger.Really some countries like albania have been paying lip service to their minorities never really recognizing them & ignoring themIt's all albanian to them for their census nothing else.