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The Macedonians in Albania ( mk, Македонци во Албанија, Makedonci vo Albanija; sq, Maqedonasit në Shqipëri) are an officially recognized ethnic minority. According to the 2011 census, 5,512
ethnic Macedonians Macedonians ( mk, Македонци, Makedonci) are a nation and a South Slavic ethnic group native to the region of Macedonia in Southeast Europe. They speak Macedonian, a South Slavic language. The large majority of Macedonians identi ...
live in
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares l ...
. In the 1989 census, 4,697 people had declared themselves Macedonian. In some circumstances,
ethnic identity An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
can be fluid among Albania's Slavophonic population, who may identify as Macedonian or Bulgarian, depending on the circumstances. Albanian Slavs are targeted by "Bulgarian cross-border nationalism" and, as an EU member, Bulgaria offers more benefits to this minority than Macedonia does. According to Edmond Temelko, former mayor of the Pustec Municipality, " ..Bulgaria uses heavy economic situation of Macedonians in Albania to offer them Bulgarian citizenship, passports and employment opportunity". The condition of the Macedonian population living in the
Prespa Prespa ( mk, Преспа, sq, Prespa, el, Πρέσπα) is a region shared between North Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Rese ...
area is described in positive terms and particular praise is given since all the villages of the area are allowed schooling in their mother tongue. Macedonian organizations allege that the government undercounts their number and that they are politically under-represented, arguing there are no Macedonians in the
Albanian parliament The Parliament of Albania ( sq, Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a ...
, until Vasil Sterjovski was elected in 2019 representing the Macedonian Party. Past Helsinki reports stated, "Albania recognizes ..a Macedonian minority, but only in the Southern regions. Those who identify as Macedonians ..outside these minority regions are denied the minority rights granted in the south, including minority classes at state schools."


History

In the middle of the 19th century the national affiliation of the Orthodox Slavs of Macedonia became the locus of a contest between Greeks and Bulgarians, who intensified their national educational activity in the region, along with Serbia. According to Encyclopædia Britannica 1911 Edition, at the beginning of the 20th century the Slavs constituted the majority of the population in Macedonia. Per Britannica itself the bulk of the Slavs was regarded by almost all independent authorities as "
Bulgarians Bulgarians ( bg, българи, Bǎlgari, ) are a nation and South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and the rest of Southeast Europe. Etymology Bulgarians derive their ethnonym from the Bulgars. Their name is not completely understo ...
". The partition of the Ottoman lands of the region of Macedonia between Balkan nation-states after the conclusion of the
Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and def ...
(1912–1913) and World War I (1914–1918) left the area divided. The small Macedonian areas of Gollobordë and Mala Prespa were included in
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares l ...
. In the 1920s, the Albanians referred to orthodox Slavs in Albania as Bulgarians. The new Albanian state did not attempt to assimilate this minority. On January 9, 1932, the Bulgarian and Albanian delegations signed in Sofia a protocol regarding the recognition of the ethnic Bulgarian minority in Albania. Belgrade was suspicious of the recognition of a Bulgarian minority in Macedonia and was annoyed this would hinder its policy of forced “ Serbianisation” in Serbian Macedonia. It had already blocked the ratification of such protocol with Greece. Due to pressure from Yugoslavia, this protocol was also never ratified. However, in 1942 the Albanian-Italian census in today's western parts of
North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
, then part of the Albanian Kingdom, and today most eastern parts of Albania, was conducted for the ethnic composition of its Slavic population, that 31% from registered were Bulgarians and 8% were recorded as Serbs. On the other hand, in 1934 the Comintern gave its support to the idea that the Macedonian Slavs constituted a separate nationality. Prior to the Second World War, this view on the Macedonian issue had no practical importance. During the War these ideas were supported by the pro-Yugoslav Macedonian communist partisans. After the Red Army entered the Balkans, new communist regimes came into power in the area. In this way their policy on the
Macedonian Question The region of Macedonia is known to have been inhabited since Paleolithic times. Еarliest historical inhabitants The earliest historical inhabitants of the region were the Pelasgians, the Bryges and the Thracians. The Pelasgians occupied E ...
was of supporting the development of a distinct ethnic Macedonian identity. As result the Slavic minority in Albania was recognized in 1945 as Macedonian. However, after the
Fall of communism The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Natio ...
in 1998, the then foreign minister of Albania Paskal Milo, has stated on the Slav minority issue: "''After World War II, we know this minority as Macedonian. I’d rather not elaborate on why we chose this way, but the
Communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, ...
regime made this decision and it’s difficult for us now to change that.''" The former Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi openly admitted the presence of ethnic Bulgarians near the
Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Greece ...
. At the request of Bulgarian
MEPs A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...
, the
European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET, after the French name ‘Affaires étrangères’), previously called Political Affairs, is a committee of the European Parliament. It is responsible for the common foreign, security, and defence policy of t ...
brought up the issue of people with Bulgarian ethnicity that are located in the Prespa, Gollobordë and Gora regions. Following pressure from Bulgarian
MEPs A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...
and petition from the local Bulgarian community, in 2017 the Albanian parliament recognized a Bulgarian minority in Albania. Its presence is supported by field researchers from Bulgaria, but is disputed by ethnic Macedonian activists there. According to Edmond Temelko, former mayor of the Pustec Municipality, " ..Bulgaria uses heavy economic situation of Macedonians in Albania to offer them Bulgarian citizenship, passports and employment opportunity".


Population

External estimates on the population of Macedonians in Albania include 10,000, whereas Macedonian sources have claimed 120,000 to 350,000 Macedonians in Albania Despite high levels of emigration the official number of people registering as Macedonians in Albania has more than doubled over the last 60 years, according to Albanian census data. In 2000, Albania conducted a census which did not record ethnic affiliation and as such during that time resulted in various estimates for the Slavic population of Albania that could not be checked and rectified. The then Macedonian immigration minister Martin Trenevski estimated in 2000 that the Macedonian minority in Albania numbered 300,000. After conducting personal visits to areas of Macedonian settlement in Albania, diplomat Geert Ahrens considered these numbers "grossly exaggerated", as did other Macedonian interlocutors. In March 2009, the Commission for Minority Issues of the Foreign Ministry of Albania announced the results of its study about the national minorities in the country. According to the study, there are 4,148 Macedonians (0.14% of the total population) living in the country. The ethnic Macedonian organisations of Albania announced they will complain at Albanian institutions and international organisations. Some believed the Albanian government had stated that it would jail anyone who did not participate in the census of 2011 or refused to declare their ethnicity. The complication of counting the Macedonian minority in Albania is due to most Macedonian speakers being from a Muslim background with tendencies of not identifying as Macedonians, as even in Macedonia, Muslim Macedonian speakers are not in instances counted as ''Macedonians'' but as ''Torbeši'' or ''Gorani''. As such Ahrens states that the overall estimate of the Slavic population of Albania ranges between 10,000 and 20,000 people. "There are no reliable figures for the number of Slavs in Albania. The Albanian census of 2000 did not include ethnic affiliation; thus, grossly diverging estimates cannot be checked and rectified. In 2000, the Macedonian minister for emigration, Martin Trenevski, told me that there were 300,000 Macedonians in Albania. This figure is from all appearances from personal visits to the areas of Slavic settlement in Albania, grossly exaggerated, as even other Macedonian interlocutors would admit. The issue is further complicated by the Muslim background of most of the Macedonian speakers in Albania. In Macedonia, such Macedonian-speaking Slavic Muslims would he counted as "Torbeši" or "Gorani," and not as "Macedonians." Altogether, the number of Slavs in Albania is probably between 10,000 and 20,000."


Geographic distribution

Macedonians in Albania traditionally live in Pustec Municipality ( mk, Мала Преспа/ Mala Prespa), Gollobordë ( mk, Голо Брдо/Golo Brdo),
Dibër District Dibër District ( sq, Rrethi i Dibrës) was one of the 36 districts of Albania, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12 counties. It had a population of 86,144 in 2001, and an area of . It is in the northeast of the country, and ...
( mk, Дебар Поле/Debar Pole),
Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...
( mk, Горица/Gorica),
Pogradec Pogradec () is the eleventh most populous city in Albania and the capital of the eponymous municipality. It is located on a narrow plain between two mountain chains along the southwestern banks of the Lake of Ohrid. Its climate is profoundly in ...
( mk, Поградец) and Gora ( mk, Гора) areas. Some, however, have moved to larger cities like
Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
, where roughly 500 ethnic Macedonians live as of the 2011 census.


Pustec Municipality (Mala Prespa)

Macedonians are only officially recognised as a minority population in Municipality of Pustec, on the shores of
Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Greece ...
. The municipality consists of the following villages: * Cerje ( mk, Церје) *
Dollna Goricë Dollna Goricë ( sq, Dollna Gorica, Macedonian language, Macedonian and Bulgarian language, Bulgarian: Долна Горица), formerly Goricë e Vogël, is a village on the western shore of Lake Prespa in the Pustec Municipality which is officia ...
( mk, Долна Горица) * Glloboçen ( mk, Глобочани) * Gorna Goricë ( mk, Горна Горица) * Leskë ( mk, Леска) *
Pustec Pustec ( sq, Pustec; mk, Пустец) formerly known as Liqenas (1973–2013), is a village in Pustec Municipality, Korçë County, eastern Albania. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa, it is home to much of the Macedonian minori ...
( mk, Пустец) * Shulin ( mk, Шулин) * Tuminec ( mk, Туминец) * Zërnovskë ( mk, Зрновско)


Devoll

Macedonians also inhabit the region to the south of Lake Prespa, within the Devoll municipality. A Macedonian minority can be found in the village of Vërnik ( mk, Врбник/Vrbnik), which is the only Macedonian-inhabited village in Albania considered in Macedonian sources to form a part of Aegean Macedonia. Historically the village of Rakickë ( mk, Ракитско/Rakitsko) was a mixed village in 1900 whose population consisted of 360 Albanians and 300 Orthodox Macedonians, though by the 1970s had become a wholly Albanian inhabited village. "Ракитско е сега албанско село, но во год. 1900 имало 300 жит. М. и 360 А."


Korçë region

Two traditionally Orthodox Slavic speaking villages of the Korçë region existed until the 1960s when ethnic and linguistic changes occurred resulting in part of the Slavic population moving away while those remaining became assimilated. Drenovë ( mk, Дреново/Drenovo) has become inhabited by Orthodox Albanians and
Aromanians The Aromanians ( rup, Armãnji, Rrãmãnji) are an ethnic group native to the southern Balkans who speak Aromanian, an Eastern Romance language. They traditionally live in central and southern Albania, south-western Bulgaria, northern and c ...
with the last person speaking a Slavic language passing away in the 2000s and Boboshticë ( mk, Бобоштица/Boboštica) has become mainly inhabited by Aromanians with only a few remnants left of its former Slavic speaking population. "Vërnik eine völlig homogene südslavische Bevölkerung fast ohne albanische Mitbewohner gibt. Diese hat dort zudem den Status einer vom albanischen Staat offiziell anerkannten Minderheit, während Boboshtica inzwischen bis auf geringe Reste überwiegend und Drenova ganz von Albanern und Aromunen bewohnt wird. Die Beschreibung der oben erwähnten Orte und der dort gesprochenen Mundarten ist primärer Gegenstand der vorliegenden Monographie. Zu den übrigen in der Literatur häufig angeführten Ortschaften mit einer angeblich slavischen Bevölkerung wird an dieser Stelle nur eine kurze kritische Sichtung anhand der ebenfalls von uns gesammelten Informationen vorgenommen. In Drenova bei Korça, das neben Boboshtica vor allem durch die Arbeiten von MAZON (1936) und COURTHIADE (1993) bekannt wurde, gab es bis vor ein paar Jahren nur noch eine alte Frau, welche die ursprüngliche slavische Mundart beherrschte. Nach ihrem Tode spricht diese dort niemand mehr, wie Thomaidha Stefo angab, die 1942 in das Dorf einheiratete. Damals sprach man don noch ausschließlich Bulgarisch (bullgarçe), und sie versuchte es deshalb ebenfalls zu lernen, hat es aber inzwischen wieder verlernt. Am Anfang der 60er Jahre kam eine größere Gruppe von aromunischen Siedlern nach Drenova und Boboshtica, und mit ihnen änderte sich die ethnische und sprachliche Struktur beider Orte grundlegend. Der Informant Thanas Thanasi, ein Aromune, bestätigte ebenfalls, daß, als er in Drenova ankam, damals dort nur Bulgarisch (bullgarçe) gesprochen wurde. Die früheren slavischen Einwohner sind aber inzwischen entweder assimiliert oder weggezogen." In the 2010s, only one elderly women remains in Boboshticë who is a speaker of the village local Macedonian dialect called ''Kajnas'' (of us). "The isolated Macedonian dialect of Boboshtica in the Korcha region of Albania, which speakers themselves called Kajnas 'like us' is now a linguists tourist attraction performed for visiting foreign linguists by a single old women." The Gorica dialect of Macedonian is used by the Macedonian inhabitants of this region.


Lake Ohrid region

Macedonians can be found in the village of Lin ( mk, Лин), living alongside Muslim Albanians. The Macedonians of Lin speak Vevčani-Radožda dialect of Macedonian. Linguists Klaus Steinke and Xhelal Ylli conducted fieldwork in the village and noted it to be a mixed village of Orthodox Christians and Muslims having 1680 inhabitants and 296 families. Local Lin villagers stated that few families speak Macedonian, such as in instances of marriage with women from neighbouring Radožda in the Republic of Macedonia, however, Macedonian overall is not used by the third generation. "Im nördlich von Pogradec unmittelbar am Ochridsee gelegenen Dorf Lin, mit 1680 Einwohnem (296 Familien), leben Orthodoxe und Moslems. Nach den Angaben des Ortsvorstehers Avdullari und denen anderer Informanten spricht man nur noch in wenigen Familien Makedonisch, d.h. wenn dort eine Frau aus dem makedonischen Nachbarort Radožda eingeheiratet hat. Aber auch in diesem Fall wird Makedonisch bereits von der dritten Generation nicht mehr benutzt. Von den aus Radožda zugezogenen Sprecherinnen wurden einige Sprachaufnahmen gemacht, die im Anhang zu finden sind."


Gollobordë

Macedonians also form a significant population in the Gollobordë ( mk, Голо Брдо/Golo Brdo) region, however there is a significant minority of
Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, S ...
. Macedonian populations can be found in the following places: Trebisht administrative unit: Gjinovec ( mk, Гиновец/Ginovec or Гинеец/Gineec) and Klenjë ( mk, Клење) are inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population which contain Macedonian Muslim (Torbeš). Vërnicë ( mk, Врница/Vrnica) is inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the village that also contains a significant population of Muslim Macedonians and Orthodox Macedonians. Trebisht ( mk, Требишта/Trebišta) is traditionally inhabited by a mixed Slavic Orthodox Christian Macedonian and Macedonian Muslim population. Ostren administrative unit: Lejçan ( mk, Лешничани/Lešničani), Lladomericë ( mk, Владимирица/Vladimirica) and Tuçep ( mk, Тучепи/Tučepi) are inhabited solely by Macedonian Muslims; Radovesh ( mk, Радовеща/Radovešta), Kojavec ( mk, Којовец/Kojovec), Orzhanovë ( mk, Оржаново/Oržanovo) are inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population which contain Macedonian Muslims. Okshtun i Madh, Okshtun i Vogël and Tërbaç ( mk, Тербачиште/Terbačište) have some Macedonian Muslims residing there while Pasinkë ( mk, Пасинки/Pasinki), Ostren i Madh( mk, Големо Острени/Golemo Ostreni) and Ostren i Vogël ( mk, Мало Острени/Malo Ostreni) are inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the villages that also contain significant populations of Muslim Macedonians and Orthodox Macedonians. Stëblevë administrative unit: Steblevë ( mk, Стеблево/Steblevo or Стебљево/Stebljevo) is inhabited solely by a Slavic speaking population that contains Macedonian Muslims. Sebisht ( mk, Себишта/Sebišta) is inhabited by an Albanian population that dominates demographically in the village and contains three families from the Muslim Macedonian and Orthodox Macedonian population. Gjoricë administrative unit: Lubalesh ( mk, Љубалеш/Ljubalesh) has some Muslim Macedonians living in the village. The Muslim Macedonian and Orthodox Macedonian population of Gollobordë are speakers of a south Slavic language "Heute umfaßt das Gebiet von Golloborda in Albanien 22 Dörfer, die verwaltungstechnisch auf drei verschiedene Gemeinden aufgeteilt sind: 1. Die Gemeinde Ostren besteht aus dreizehn Dörfern, und Südslavisch wird in den folgenden neun Dörfern gesprochen: Ostreni i Madh (Golemo Ostreni/Ostreni Golemo), Kojavec (Kojovci), Lejçan (Lešničani), Lladomerica (Ladomerica/Ladimerica/Vlademerica), Ostreni i Vogël (Malo Ostreni/Malastreni/Ostreni Malo), Orzhanova (Oržanova), Radovesh (Radoveš/Radoeš/Radoešt), Tuçep (Tučepi) und Pasinka (Pasinki). 2. Die Gemeinde von Trebisht umfaßt die vier Dörfer Trebisht (Trebišta), Gjinovec (G'inovec/G'inec), Klenja (Klen'e) und Vërnica (Vărnica), und in allen wird Südslavisch gesprochen. 3. Die übrigen Dörfer von Golloborda gehören zur Gemeinde Stebleva, und zwar Stebleva, Zabzun, Borova, Sebisht, Llanga. Südslavisch wird in Stebleva (Steblo) sowie von drei Familien in Sebisht (Sebišta) gesprochen. Wie aus den bisherigen Ausführungen und den Erhebungen vor Ort hervorgeht, gibt es nur noch in fünfzehn der insgesamt Dörfer, die heute zu Golloborda gehören, slavophone Einwohner. Die Zahl der Dörfer in Golloborda wird manchmal auch mit 24 angegeben. Dann zählt man die Viertel des Dorfes Trebisht, und zwar Trebisht-Bala, Trebisht-Çelebia und Trebisht-Muçina separat. Zu Golloborda rechnete man traditionell ferner die Dörfer Hotišan, Žepišt, Manastirec, Drenok, Modrič und Lakaica, die heute in Makedonien liegen." ( Macedonian). p. 214. "Заедно со македонско христијанско население Торбеши живеат и во селата: Могорче, Требиште, Велебрдо, Ростуше, Јанче, Долно Косоврасти (во Река), Горенци, Житинени (во Жупа), Џепиште, Себишта, Пасинки, Големо и Мало Острени, Требишта, (во Голо Брдо),"; p
309
"Во западна Македонија исламизирано македонско население живее во неколку географски региони на македонско-албанската пограничје:... Голо Брдо (Врмница, Владимирци, Гиновци, Клење, Лешничани, Љуболези, Големо и Мало Острени, Окштун, Отишани, Пасинки, Радовиште, Себишча, Српетово, Стеблево, Тучепи, Торбач, Џепишта)"; p
339
"Во повеќето од спомнативе села живее население - со македонски и со албански мачин јазик. Албанското население доминира во северните голобрдски села (Себишта, Пасинки, Врмница, Големо и Мало Острени). Селата: Лешничани, Требиште, Српетово, Торбач, Љуболези, Владимирица и Тучепи се населени со Македонски муслимани (Торбеши), а во Себишта, Требиште, Г. и М. Острени живее мешано население - православни и Торбеши."
The Muslim Macedonian speaking community of the area is known as ''Gollobordas'' and in Albania people from the community are considered Albanians instead of Macedonians, even by the Albanian state, and they are known to intermarry with Muslim Albanians and not with Orthodox Macedonians. Until the 1990s the local Orthodox Macedonian minority, who have since migrated, used to live in some villages alongside the Gollobordas of whom in the 2010s number some roughly 3,000 people.


Fusha e Shehërit

The area Fusha e Shehërit (valley of the city) is known in Macedonian sources as Dolno Pole ( mk, Долно Поле, "southern valley") is situated south of the town of Peshkopi. Historically in the early 20th century, an Orthodox Slavic speaking population was found living alongside Muslim Albanians in the villages of Dovolan ( mk, Довољани/Dovoljani) - minority,
Herebel Herebel ( mk, Ербеле/Erbele) is a village in the former Maqellarë Municipality in Dibër County in northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Dibër. It is situated on the mountain Dešat, ...
( mk, Ербеле/Erbele) - majority, Kërçishti i Epërm ( mk, Горна Крчишта/Gorna Krčišta) - majority, Maqellarë ( mk, Макелари/Makelari or Макеларе/Makelare) - minority, and Katund i Vogël ( mk, Обоки/Oboki) - minority. "Bin Vergleich der beiden oben erwähnten Quellen mit der von den Österreichern während des ersten Weltkrieges durchgeführten Volkszählung, die zweifellos glaubwürdig ist, da sie sich auf eine direkte Befragung der Bevölkerung in den Jahren 1916–1918 stützt, zeigt Unstimmigkeiten."; p.250. "Albaner A, Bulgaren B, Zigeuner Z, Sonstige S, Zigeuner Z, Musl. M, Orth. O; Gemeinde Maqellara: Dovolani 259 A, 44 B, 5 Z, 258 M, 51 O;... Herbel 74 A, 136 S, 3 Z, 77 M, 136 O, Kërçishti i E. 23 A, 14 B 197 S, 37 M, 197 O;... Maqellara 288 A, 87 B, 11 Z, 290 M, 96 O; Obok 169 A, 29 B, 72 S, 164 M, 106 O;" Toward the end of the 1920s the Orthodox Slavic speaking population was located in only two villages Herebel and Kërçisht i Epërm while in the 1930s the population decline of Orthodox Slavophones continued. During the 2000s linguists Klaus Steinke and Xhelal Ylli seeking to corroborate villages cited in past literature as being Slavic speaking carried out fieldwork in villages of the area. In Herebel only 6 Orthodox Slavic speaking families made up of 3 larger households of around 20 individuals each remain. In Kërçisht i Epërm the village contains 200 inhabitants and 45 households, of which 6 are Orthodox families with a total of 17 individuals. On the eve of the collapse of communism in 1991, Kërçisht i Epërm had 110 households with 27 belonging to the Orthodox community. "Seit Ende der 20er bis Anfang der 30er Jahre findet man nur noch Angaben für Gorno Krăčišta und Ărbele. Die demographische Entwicklung der 30er Jahre, nämlich der Rückgang des slavophonen Bevölkerungsanteils, der meist aus Orthodoxen bestand, hat sich fortgesetzt, wie die aktuell ermittelten Zahlen zeigen. In Herbel wohnen nur noch sechs orthodoxe Familien. Eigentlich sind es drei Großfamilien mit rund 20 Personan, die noch die südslavische Mundart sprechen.... Kërçishti i Epërm hat gegenwärtig rund 45 Häuser mit ungefähr 200 Einwohnern. Darunter gibt as sechs orthodoxe Familien, drei bestehen jeweils nur noch aus einer Person und die anderen drei aus zwei, drei bzw. neun Personen. Insgesamt gibt es also 17 orthodoxe Einwohner, die slavophon sind. Es heißt, daß das Dorf vor der demokratischen Wende 1991 noch rund 110 Häuser hatte. Davon gehörten 27 den Orthodoxen." Use of the Macedonian language in Kërçisht i Epërm is limited and facing extinction, due to usage being confined to the family. Albanian is also used in family settings especially by younger generations who have limited knowledge of Macedonian due to Albanian school influences and the demographic decline of the Slavic-speaking population in the village. Linguists Steinke and Ylli also noted that unlike the Gollobordë region, the villages of the Maqellarë administrative unit area do not have any Muslim Slavic speaking inhabitants, and the village of Katund i Vogël no longer has any Slavic Christians left and is inhabited only by Albanians. "Kërçishti i Epërm... Nach Angaben unserer Informanten ist der Gebrauch der Mundart sehr begrenzt und daher vom Aussterben bedroht. Man bezeichnet sie als Makedonisch und verwendet sie ausschließlich innerhaib der Familie. Doch auch in diesem Kreig wird oftmals schon Albanisch verwendet und besonders die junge Generation spricht selbst zu Hause kaum noch die Muttersprache. Das ist im wesentlichen auf den Einfluß der albanischen Schule und ferner auf den Rückgang des slavophonen Bevölkerungsanteils im Dorf zurückzuführen." p. 252. "Anders als in den Dörfern Gollobordas sind in diesem Gebiet keine Spuren von slavophonen Muslimen zu finden. Die ethnische Zugehörigkeit der kleinen orthodoxen und slavophonen Gruppe ist außerdem nicht einfach anzugeben. Bezeichnend sind in diesem Zusammenhang die Ergebnisse der 1916 von den Österreichern durchgeführten Volkszählung.... Über die ethische Identität der slavophonen Orthodoxen scheint es keine klare Vorstellung gegeben zu haben.... noch die ausführlichen Befragungen unserer Informanten sowie anderer Bewohner des Gebietes haben irgendwelche Hinweise auf weitere Orte mit slavophonen Einwohnern in diesem Bereich ergeben. Ebenfalls nicht bestätigt werden konnte nach Erkundigungen vor Ort VIDOESKIS Angabe zu Oboki. Dort gibt es keine slavophonen Christen mehr, auch keine Torbešen, sondern nur Albaner."


Gora

Inhabitants of the Gora ( mk, Гора) region (which straddles Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia) are Slavic-speaking Muslims who reside in the villages of
Zapod Zapod is a village and a former municipality in Kukës County, northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Kukës. The administrative unit of Zapod contains the villages of Orgjost, Koshari ...
( mk, Запот/Zapot), Pakisht ( mk, Пакишта/Pakišta), Orçikël ( mk, Очикле/Očikle), Kosharisht ( mk, Кошаришта/Košarišta), Cernalevë ( mk, Црнелево/Crnelevo), Orgjost ( mk, Оргоста/Orgosta), Orshekë ( mk, Орешек/Orešek), Borje ( mk, Борје/Borje), and
Shishtavec Shishtavec is a village in Kukës County in northeastern Albania. It was also the seat of the former municipality of the same name. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kukës. The administrative unit of Shishtave ...
( mk, Шиштавец/Šištavec). The Gorani community refer to their south Slavic speech as ''Našinski'', while it is known as ''Gorançe'' by Albanians. "In den 17 Dörfern des Kosovo wird Našinski/Goranče gesprochen, und sie gehören zu einer Gemeinde mit dem Verwaltungszentrum in Dragaš. Die 19 Dörfer in Albanien sind hingegen auf drei Gemeinden des Bezirks Kukës aufgeteilt, und zwar auf Shishtavec, Zapod und Topojan. Slavophone findet man freilich nur in den ersten beiden Gemeinden. Zur Gemeinde Shishtavec gehören sieben Dörfer und in den folgenden vier wird Našinski/Goranče gesprochen: Shishtavec (Šištaec/Šišteec), Borja (Borje), Cërnaleva (Cărnolevo/Cărneleve) und Oreshka (Orešek). Zur Gemeinde Zapod gehören ebenfalls sieben Dörfer, und in den folgenden fünf wird Našinski/Goranče gesprochen: Orgjost (Orgosta), Kosharisht (Košarišta), Pakisht (Pakiša/Pakišča) Zapod (Zapod) und Orçikla (Orčikl’e/Očikl’e)’. In der Gemeinde Topojan gibt es inzwischen keine slavophone Bevölkerung mehr. Die Einwohner selbst bezeichnen sich gewöhnlich als Goranen ‘Einwohner von Gora oder Našinci Unsrige, und ihre Sprache wird von ihnen als Našinski und von den Albanern als Gorançe bezeichnet." Within the Gorani community there is a recognition of their dialects being closer to the Macedonian language, than to Serbian. "Moreover, religion can have an influence on attitudes toward identity. Thus for example Macedonian-speaking Christians in Vrbnik (Vërnik) refer to Orthodox Albanian-speakers as nash 'ours' but do not consider Macedonian-speaking Muslims as nash, nor do those Muslims tend to identify as ethnic Macedonians (Christina Kramer, personal communication). The Gorans, who are also Muslim, have a separate identity. The Goran dialects used to be classed with Serbian, but have more recently been assigned to Macedonian, and Gorans themselves recognize that their dialects are closer to Macedonian than to Serbian." The estimated number of the Gorani community (combined both for Albania and Kosovo) ranges between 40,000–120,000. Sources from the Republic of Macedonia claim the
Gorani people The Gorani (, ) or Goranci (, ), are a Slavic Muslim ethnic group inhabiting the Gora region—the triangle between Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. They number an estimated 60,000 people, and speak a transitional South Slavic dialect, c ...
to be a subgroup of ethnic Macedonians. In the 2011 census, 11.7% of residents in
Zapod Zapod is a village and a former municipality in Kukës County, northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Kukës. The administrative unit of Zapod contains the villages of Orgjost, Koshari ...
and 7.7% in
Shishtavec Shishtavec is a village in Kukës County in northeastern Albania. It was also the seat of the former municipality of the same name. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kukës. The administrative unit of Shishtave ...
identified as ethnic Macedonians.


Education

There is a general high school in
Pustec Pustec ( sq, Pustec; mk, Пустец) formerly known as Liqenas (1973–2013), is a village in Pustec Municipality, Korçë County, eastern Albania. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa, it is home to much of the Macedonian minori ...
, one eight-year school in Dolna Goricë and six elementary schools in Shulin, Leskë, Zërnovskë, Dolna Goricë, Tuminec and Glloboçen. There are eight-year schools at the two biggest villages of the commune,
Pustec Pustec ( sq, Pustec; mk, Пустец) formerly known as Liqenas (1973–2013), is a village in Pustec Municipality, Korçë County, eastern Albania. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa, it is home to much of the Macedonian minori ...
and Goricë e Madhe, where 20 percent of the texts are held at the mother tongue language. At the centre of the commune there is a high school as well. The history of the Macedonian people is a special subject at the school. All minority schools have twin partnerships with counterparts in Macedonia. All the teaching personnel is local and with the proper education. The Macedonian language will be taught in the pedagogical college of Korçë.


Culture


Religion

The Macedonians in Albania are predominantly Macedonian Orthodox and
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...
. The distribution of religions among Macedonians reflects the trend of confession in their non-Macedonian neighbors- Macedonians in more southerly regions share the Orthodox Christian faith with the high concentration of Albanian Orthodox believers of these regions, as well as local Aromanians and Greeks who are largely Orthodox, while as one goes further north, the proportion of Muslim Macedonians increases with the proportion of Muslim Albanians (which form a majority of some local Albanian areas in the northern parts). The Macedonian Muslims can be found primarily in the Gollobordë, Gora and Peshkopi regions, with smaller populations in the South of the country in places such as Rajca, etc. There are however substantial Orthodox Macedonian minorities in both the Gollobordë and Peshkopi regions. In the south of the country around Mala Prespa, Pogradec, Korçë and Bilisht, the Macedonians are mostly Orthodox. The Community is currently in the process of building the first of many Macedonian Orthodox Churches. The Church 'St. Michael the Archangel' was started in the early 2000s. A new church is that of Saint Mary for which a considerable funding has been given by the Macedonian Orthodox Church.


Organizations

In September 1991 the "Bratska" Political Association of Macedonian in Albania (BPAMA) was established. Other Macedonian organizations include Macedonian Alliance for European Integration
Macedonian Society Ilinden Tirana
Prespa Prespa ( mk, Преспа, sq, Prespa, el, Πρέσπα) is a region shared between North Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Rese ...
,
Mir ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to& ...
(Peace), Bratstvo (Brotherhood) and the MED (Macedonian Aegean Society). In March 2012, Macedonians in Gollobordë formed "Most" (Macedonian for "Bridge"). The organisation's president, Besnik Hasani said that the group's goal is to "be fighting for recognition of Macedonians in Gollobordë by the Albanian state and the introduction of the Macedonian language in schools... Also, our task will be to prevent the Bulgarian propaganda and efforts of Bulgaria for the
Bulgarisation Bulgarisation ( bg, българизация), also known as Bulgarianisation ( bg, побългаряване) is the spread of Bulgarian culture beyond the Bulgarian ethnic space. History A number of government policies are considered to be exa ...
of the Macedonians in Gollobordë ."


Political parties

The Macedonians in Albanian are represented by the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration ( mk, Македонска Алијанса за Европска Интеграција/Makedonska Alijansa za Evropska Integracija). In 2007 Edmond Temelko was elected to the position of Mayor of Pustec, and was reelected to this position in 2011, in which the party received ~2,500 votes. Edmond Osmani narrowly missed out being elected as Mayor of Trebisht, however 5 Macedonian counsellors were elected in
Pustec Pustec ( sq, Pustec; mk, Пустец) formerly known as Liqenas (1973–2013), is a village in Pustec Municipality, Korçë County, eastern Albania. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Prespa, it is home to much of the Macedonian minori ...
, 3 in Trebisht, 2 in Bilisht and another in Pirg. At present there is one Macedonian in the
Albanian Parliament The Parliament of Albania ( sq, Kuvendi i Shqipërisë) or Kuvendi is the unicameral representative body of the citizens of the Republic of Albania; it is Albania's legislature. The Parliament is composed of no less than 140 members elected to a ...
. But many of the
local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loc ...
representatives are Macedonian. The mayor of Pustec Municipality is Pali Kolefski according to 2019 local elections. He is a Macedonian. There are Macedonians represented in the districts of Zvezdë and Gorna Goricë.


Media


Radio

The local radio of
Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...
broadcasts the Fote Nikola ( mk, Фоте Никола) program which comprises news bulletins and songs in Macedonian for the Macedonian minority in Albania for half an hour each day. On November 7, 2002 the first private Macedonian-language radio station was set up. It is known as "Radio Prespa".


Television

The local TV station has also released programs from the Republic of Macedonia. In November, 2010, the first Macedonian television station, Television Kristal ( mk, Телевизија Кристал/Televisija Kristal), was officially launched.


Print media

Numerous forms of Macedonian language print media serve the needs of the Macedonians living in Albania. In the early 1990s the first Macedonian language periodical known as Mir (Peace) emerged. Later still the newspaper Prespa ( mk, Преспа/Prespa), began to be published by Macedonians living in the Mala Prespa region. The Macedonian newspaper 'Ilinden' was launched in April, 2011, by Macedonians living in Tirana.


Notable individuals

* Nikola Berovski (1923–2013), educator and translator * Stefan Cvetkovski (1919 - 1944), Macedonian Yugoslav
partisan Partisan may refer to: Military * Partisan (weapon), a pole weapon * Partisan (military), paramilitary forces engaged behind the front line Films * ''Partisan'' (film), a 2015 Australian film * ''Hell River'', a 1974 Yugoslavian film also know ...
* Takjo Grozdani, president of Prespa organization. * Vlado Makelarski (1919–1993), partisan * Spase Mazenkovski (1953–2018), writer and journalist * Sotir Risto, poet * Sterjo Spasse, writer * Edmond Temelko, former Mayor of the Pustec Municipality, and ethnic Macedonian rights activist * Koçi Xoxe, former Defence and Interior Minister of Albania


See also

* Macedonians * Macedonian Party * Albania–North Macedonia relations *
Albanians in North Macedonia The Albanians in North Macedonia ( sq, Shqiptarët në Maqedoninë e Veriut, mk, Албанци во Северна Македонија) are the second largest ethnic group in North Macedonia, forming 446,245 individuals or 24.3% of the resi ...
* Bulgarians in Albania


References


External links


Macedonian Society Ilinden – Tirana

Macedonian Alliance for European Integration

Albanian Helsinki Committee report on the Macedonians in Albania

Ilinden Newspaper

Latest Edition of the Prespa Newspaper

Osce report of Minorities in Albania

Republic of Albania

ODIHR

Photos of Macedonians in Albania


* ttp://makedonium.net/?page_id=96 Makedonium


Multimedia


A video about the Ethnic Minority with both Albanian and Macedonian sourcesMacedonians in Gora celebrating GjurgovdenMacedonians in Pustec, Albania
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macedonians Of Albania Ethnic groups in Albania Ethnic Macedonian people Macedonian diaspora