Two representatives of the student initiative advocating for the right to take the bar examination in the Albanian language, Mvelan Ademi and Çlirim Iseni, visited Brussels this week to raise concerns about the implementation of language rights for Albanians in North Macedonia.
During their visit to the European capital, the students held meetings with Members of the European Parliament, Kathleen Van Brempt and Thijs Reuten, as well as EU enlargement advisers Joeri Maas and Ine Goris.
In a statement published on Facebook, Ademi said the discussions focused on what he described as the failure to fully implement laws and constitutional rights related to the use of the Albanian language in North Macedonia, as well as shortcomings in the implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.
According to Ademi, the delegation requested that these issues be raised within the European Parliament and other European Union institutions in order to address alleged violations and delays in fulfilling constitutional obligations.
He emphasized that the position of Albanians in North Macedonia should be treated as a priority, highlighting their role as a state-forming people and a key contributor to the country’s development and stability.
The student initiative has gained broader public attention in recent months, with demonstrations held in Skopje, Tirana, and Pristina in support of the demand that professional legal examinations, including the bar exam, be available in the Albanian language.
The meetings in Brussels come amid ongoing debates regarding language rights, equal access to public institutions, and the implementation of provisions stemming from the Ohrid Framework Agreement, which was signed in 2001 to improve the rights and representation of ethnic communities in North Macedonia.
The students expressed hope that European institutions will play a constructive role in encouraging the full implementation of constitutional and legal guarantees concerning the use of the Albanian language.
