Macedonians in Albania

Macedonians in Albania
Maqedonasit në Shqipëri
Македонци во Албанија
*Makedonci vo Albanija*
Total population
	5,512 (2011 Albanian census); 10,000–20,000 (non Albanian and Macedonian estimate);
Regions with significant populations
	Municipalities: Kukës, Dibër, Bulqizë, Librazhd, Pogradec, Pustec, Devoll, Korçë
Languages
	Macedonian and Albanian
Religion
	Macedonian Orthodoxy and Islam
Related ethnic groups
	Macedonians

The Macedonians in Albania (Albanian: Maqedonasit në Shqipëri; Macedonian: Македонци во Албанија, romanized: Makedonci vo Albanija) are an officially recognized ethnic minority.^[3]^[4] According to the 2011 census, 5,512 ethnic Macedonians live in Albania. In the 1989 census, 4,697 people had declared themselves Macedonian.^[5]

The condition of the Macedonian population living in the Prespa 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.^[6] 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,^[7] until Vasil Sterjovski was elected in 2019 representing the Macedonian Party.^[8] 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."^[9]

In some circumstances, ethnic identity can be fluid among Albania's Slavophonic population, who may identify as Macedonian or Bulgarian, depending on the circumstances.^[10] Albanian Slavs are targeted by "Bulgarian cross-border nationalism" and, as an EU member, Bulgaria offers more benefits to this minority than Macedonia does.^[11] 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".^[12]

^ "Census 2011 Data: Resident population by ethnic and cultural affiliation". The Institute of Statistics of Republic of Albania. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
^ Cite error: The named reference Ahrens284 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). osce.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Council of Europe - News search". Coe.int. Archived from the original on 2017-08-28. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
^ Artan Hoxha and Alma Gurraj, "Local Self-Government and Decentralization: Case of Albania. History, Reforms and Challenges". In: Local Self Government and Decentralization in South - East Europe. Proceedings of the workshop held in Zagreb, Croatia. 6 April 2001. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb Office, Zagreb 2001, pp 194–224
^ Minority Rights in Albania, page 3 - Albanian Helsinki Committee, September 1999
^ "Interview with Edmond Temelko, president of the Macedonian organization "Prespa" in Albania". Macedoniansinalbania.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-24. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
^ "Ethnic Macedonian Vasil Sterjovski sworn in as Albanian MP". mia.mk. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2008-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Valeri Grigorov, Albania: Landmarks of Transition. Sofia: International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations (2003). p. 18.
^ Motoki Nomachi; Tomasz Kamusella; Catherine Gibson (29 April 2016). The Palgrave Handbook of Slavic Languages, Identities and Borders. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 438. ISBN 9781137348395.
^ "Македонско друштво "Илинден" - Тирана". ^{[dead link]}

[1] "Census 2011 Data: Resident population by ethnic and cultural affiliation". The Institute of Statistics of Republic of Albania. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2014.

[Ahrens284-2] Cite error: The named reference Ahrens284 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] "Archived copy" (PDF). osce.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[4] "Council of Europe - News search". Coe.int. Archived from the original on 2017-08-28. Retrieved 28 August 2017.

[5] Artan Hoxha and Alma Gurraj, "Local Self-Government and Decentralization: Case of Albania. History, Reforms and Challenges". In: Local Self Government and Decentralization in South - East Europe. Proceedings of the workshop held in Zagreb, Croatia. 6 April 2001. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb Office, Zagreb 2001, pp 194–224

[6] Minority Rights in Albania, page 3 - Albanian Helsinki Committee, September 1999

[7] "Interview with Edmond Temelko, president of the Macedonian organization "Prespa" in Albania". Macedoniansinalbania.org. Archived from the original on 2009-05-24. Retrieved 28 August 2017.

[8] "Ethnic Macedonian Vasil Sterjovski sworn in as Albanian MP". mia.mk. Retrieved 16 May 2019.

[9] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2008-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[10] Valeri Grigorov, Albania: Landmarks of Transition. Sofia: International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations (2003). p. 18.

[11] Motoki Nomachi; Tomasz Kamusella; Catherine Gibson (29 April 2016). The Palgrave Handbook of Slavic Languages, Identities and Borders. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 438. ISBN 9781137348395.

[12] "Македонско друштво "Илинден" - Тирана". ^{[dead link]}

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Total population
5,512 (2011 Albanian census)^[1] 10,000–20,000 (non Albanian and Macedonian estimate)^[2]
Regions with significant populations
Municipalities: Kukës, Dibër, Bulqizë, Librazhd, Pogradec, Pustec, Devoll, Korçë
Languages
Macedonian and Albanian
Religion
Macedonian Orthodoxy and Islam
Related ethnic groups
Macedonians