Ethnic Albanian leader criticized for Macedonia comment

An ethnic Albanian leader has been criticized for remarks made during the campaign for the June 1 general election, BIRN says. The Democratic Party of Albanians, DPA, president Manduh Thaci, said last Wednesday at a meeting in the village of Slupchane near the northern town of Kumanovo, that “Albanians do not see anything else but NATO. We are with NATO and with the United States. We see no other future except in the Alliance. Either Macedonia will enter NATO or it will cease to exist.” Ethnic Albanian leader criticized for Macedonia comment The DPA is a part of Macedonia's coalition government Recent opinion polls show that most ethnic Albanians would gave up the name Macedonia more easily if that means NATO and EU accession. A majority of ethnic Macedonians, however, remain determined to preserve the constitutional name, the online publication says. In April Macedonia was left out of NATO due to a Greek veto. Athens opposes Skopje’s use of the name Republic of Macedonia arguing that it could be taken to imply a territorial claim over its own northern province of the same name. President of the Macedonian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Iso Rusi criticised Thaci’s statement, arguing that it amounts to a call to tear up the Macedonian constitution. “This is a matter for the public prosecutor to address,” Rusi told the Utrinski Vesnik daily weekend edition. Ljuljzim Haziri of the Association for Democratic Initiative, an NGO, said that statements such as the one made by Thaci are not addressed to the country’s institutions but are designed to appeal to ethnic Albanian voters. “They are intended to show the DPA as a significant factor and thus to attract more votes,” Hazir told Utrinski Vesnik. Ethnic Albanians account for about one quarter of Macedonia's population, BIRN says. In another development, the DPA on Tuesday denied that its leader organized the attempted assassination of a political rival from the opposition. On Monday, Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the main Albanian opposition party in Macedonia, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, directly accused Menduh Thaci of orchestrating an assassination attempt on him on May 12 at the beginning of the election campaign. DPA Spokesman Fexhiri Selami told local Net Press news agency that Ahmeti's accusation was "unacceptable". He said Ahmeti should press charges if he has hard evidence. On May 12 in the village of Rakovec near the Albanian stronghold of Tetovo, bullets were fired at the DUI leader's motorcade. Ahmeti, who was in the area campaigning for the June 1 general elections, was unhurt. “There was a bullet fired at me and it is clear who fired it and who organized the assassination. Mr. Menduh Thaci is the organizer, together with the Deputy Interior Minister, Refet Elmazi,” Ahmeti told the Albanian Top Chanel TV on Monday. Police arrested two people for the shooting but said they will be charged with causing public danger and illegal possession of firearms, not with attempted assassination. The police argue that the people who were arrested had fired at the party vehicles and not directly at Ahmeti. Violence between the two bitter political rivals, the DUI and the DPA, at the beginning of the election campaign was condemned by the country's leaders and by international officials. Senior NATO and EU officials have said the violence, if prolonged, could undermine Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic prospects.

Ethnic Albanian leader criticized for Macedonia comment

The DPA is a part of Macedonia's coalition government

Recent opinion polls show that most ethnic Albanians would gave up the name Macedonia more easily if that means NATO and EU accession. A majority of ethnic Macedonians, however, remain determined to preserve the constitutional name, the online publication says.

In April Macedonia was left out of NATO due to a Greek veto. Athens opposes Skopje’s use of the name Republic of Macedonia arguing that it could be taken to imply a territorial claim over its own northern province of the same name.

President of the Macedonian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Iso Rusi criticised Thaci’s statement, arguing that it amounts to a call to tear up the Macedonian constitution.

“This is a matter for the public prosecutor to address,” Rusi told the Utrinski Vesnik daily weekend edition.

Ljuljzim Haziri of the Association for Democratic Initiative, an NGO, said that statements such as the one made by Thaci are not addressed to the country’s institutions but are designed to appeal to ethnic Albanian voters.

“They are intended to show the DPA as a significant factor and thus to attract more votes,” Hazir told Utrinski Vesnik.

Ethnic Albanians account for about one quarter of Macedonia's population, BIRN says.

In another development, the DPA on Tuesday denied that its leader organized the attempted assassination of a political rival from the opposition.

On Monday, Ali Ahmeti, the leader of the main Albanian opposition party in Macedonia, the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI, directly accused Menduh Thaci of orchestrating an assassination attempt on him on May 12 at the beginning of the election campaign.

DPA Spokesman Fexhiri Selami told local Net Press news agency that Ahmeti's accusation was "unacceptable". He said Ahmeti should press charges if he has hard evidence.

On May 12 in the village of Rakovec near the Albanian stronghold of Tetovo, bullets were fired at the DUI leader's motorcade. Ahmeti, who was in the area campaigning for the June 1 general elections, was unhurt.

“There was a bullet fired at me and it is clear who fired it and who organized the assassination. Mr. Menduh Thaci is the organizer, together with the Deputy Interior Minister, Refet Elmazi,” Ahmeti told the Albanian Top Chanel TV on Monday.

Police arrested two people for the shooting but said they will be charged with causing public danger and illegal possession of firearms, not with attempted assassination.

The police argue that the people who were arrested had fired at the party vehicles and not directly at Ahmeti.

Violence between the two bitter political rivals, the DUI and the DPA, at the beginning of the election campaign was condemned by the country's leaders and by international officials.

Senior NATO and EU officials have said the violence, if prolonged, could undermine Macedonia’s Euro-Atlantic prospects.