Macedonia Parliament Passes Law on Albanian As 2nd State Language in 1st Reading

[Tomche Makedonche]

https://sputniknews.com/europe/201711161059141104-macedonia-albanian-language-law/

Macedonia Parliament Passes Law on Albanian As 2nd State Language in 1st Reading

In first reading on November 15, Macedonia's parliament voted 66-41 in favor of the bill making Albanian the country's second official language, amid harsh criticism from the conservative opposition.

The bill granting the Albanian language a status of the second official language in Macedonia has been passed in the first reading by the country’s parliament. The document is pending amendments and final approval, local media reported.

According to the MRT broadcaster, the bill was passed by 66 votes, with 109 of 120 lawmakers present during the voting. The review of amendments proposed by lawmakers is scheduled for November 22, marking the Day of Albanian alphabet in the country, the broadcaster added.

The bill’s adoption was initiated by the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), comprising ethic Albanians. The imitative was supported by its coalition partner, ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM). The opposition Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) is opposing the bill and considers it non-compliant with the country’s constitution.

According to the bill, all state and municipal structures are expected to use the Albanian language, spoken by at least 20 percent of population, at the same extent as Macedonian. The law also stipulates that government bodies’ websites, official, business-related and personal documents will become bilingual, while banknotes, coins and post marks will have symbols of both ethnic groups.

[Starling]

We need to protest this.

[EgejskaMakedonia]

Why destroy the country gradually as DPMNE did when you can do it all within a few months without anyone blinking an eye? This is pathetic.

[Liberator of Makedonija]

Why destroy the country gradually as DPMNE did when you can do it all within a few months without anyone blinking an eye? This is pathetic.

Hit the nail on the head there EgejskaMakedonia. Funny how DPMNE are all against this now even though they've been gearing up towards it for the past decade. Anyway this isn't a situation for finger-pointing, this is literally the beginning of the end for the Republic of Macedonia.

[Starling]

So... time to riot?

[Risto the Great]

The ethnic Albanians refuse to learn Macedonian, but now Macedonians will learn Albanian. Looks like DUI found better whores to work with this time round.

[Risto the Great]

So... time to riot?

Nope. Not in Canada or Australia or USA at least. Maybe in Macedonia, but I am not sure where that is.

[Albo]

The ethnic Albanians refuse to learn Macedonian, but now Macedonians will learn Albanian. Looks like DUI found better whores to work with this time round.

Not true.. almost all Albanians never have a problem speaking Macedonian... be it not as well as Macedonians do for obvious reasons.. and can you show me where in the law that it states that Albanian us becoming the second official language and that Macedonians will be required to learn it? This is not the case.. its a lie.. scare mongering.. for Albanian to become official then the constitution will need to be changed which requires a 2/3 majority in the parliament.. which the ruling coalition simply doesn't posses...

[Redsun]

They should be investigated, their bank accounts, houses, possessions everything.

Military should take temporary control immediately, don't delay arrest them now.

[vicsinad]

Not true.. almost all Albanians never have a problem speaking Macedonian... be it not as well as Macedonians do for obvious reasons.. and can you show me where in the law that it states that Albanian us becoming the second official language and that Macedonians will be required to learn it? This is not the case.. its a lie.. scare mongering.. for Albanian to become official then the constitution will need to be changed which requires a 2/3 majority in the parliament.. which the ruling coalition simply doesn't posses...

So what about where there are no Albanians currently and then an Albanian trickling in to receive government services demands to interact in Albanian? Those Macedonians must provide services in Albanian. To do that, they then must learn Albanian or hire Albanians.

A convenient way to continue spreading the Albanian language or population beyond its present extent.

In reality, this makes Albanian a second official language when an Albanian doesn't have to communicate in Macedonian anywhere in the country if he or she doesn't want to.

[vicsinad]

Further, if "approved" by the Venice commission, Macedonians cannot avoid the Albanian language every time that currency in Albanian passes through their hands. Thus, Macedonians are essentially forced to deal in Albanian.

[Albo]

So what about where there are no Albanians currently and then an Albanian trickling in to receive government services demands to interact in Albanian? Those Macedonians must provide services in Albanian. To do that, they then must learn Albanian or hire Albanians.

Well In this case if an Albanian isn't working in that particular govenment office then an interpreter will be organised and provided...

(The exact same thing that occurs with thousand of Macedonians who have lived abroad in countries like Australia, Canada, USA or Europe for decades and still prefer or need a translator when dealing with state institutions or the doctor for example) .. I'm sure your aware of this practice and aren't against Macedonians receiving translators..?

Lets not create more unnecessary fear here.. the amount of Albanians who will walk into a municipality in eastern Macedonia and ask to interact in Albanian will be virtually ZERO...

A convenient way to continue spreading the Albanian language or population beyond its present extent.

Again no proof at all that this will create any form of Albanian spread to other parts of Macedonia where they don't historically live!
More fear mongering...

[vicsinad]

Not true.. almost all Albanians never have a problem speaking Macedonian...

So if Albanians have no problems speaking Macedonian, and can speak well and understand it, what's the purpose of the law? It was sold as "to ease communication" between Albanians and the state government, but if they can already speak Macedonian, what's the problem?

[vicsinad]

Lets not create more unnecessary fear here.. the amount of Albanians who will walk into a municipality in eastern Macedonia and ask to interact in Albanian will be virtually ZERO...

Albanians in areas where they are 1% or 5% or 10% will do so, and they will not be able to be refused if they speak in Albanian. More tax money wasted providing services to Albanians in Albanian when they can already speak Macedonian, as you already acknowledged...so why?

Again no proof at all that this will create any form of Albanian spread to other parts of Macedonia where they don't historically live!
More fear mongering

And you have no proof that it won't, because the law hasn't had time to take effect.

But define where they don't "historically" live...because there are a lot of places in Macedonia that they have been in the past several decades where they haven't historically been.

[vicsinad]

And let's not kid ourselves -- coming from northwestern region of Macedonia that K(N)LA surrounded, cut water and blocked essential services to, and kidnapped and beat dozens of villagers in order to intimidate them to leave the area, I have all the proof I need to know that Albanians want to go into areas that they've never "historically" been in.

There is nothing more than the extremists (who aren't a small number) in your ethnic clan would like to do than have Albanians be in the majority in all municipalities from Struga to the outskirts of Skopje. And they've proved that they would use violence to do so -- using the law to do so isn't that far of a stretch, no?