Comments by the President of the Constitutional Court of North Macedonia regarding the possible abolition of the “Law on Languages” have sparked strong reactions from all Albanian political parties. They believe that any intervention in the law could undermine the official use of the Albanian language and have serious consequences for the country.
Darko Kostadinovski, President of the Constitutional Court, expressed in an interview with the state news agency MIA that the Law on the Use of Languages “has created a sort of legal chaos, which has led to political chaos, distrust, and dilemmas.” Kostadinovski emphasized that the law could be abolished, revised with certain changes, or remain as it is.
His comments follow a move by the Macedonian nationalist party “The Left,” which submitted a petition to the Constitutional Court after the law was passed in 2019.
The “Law on Languages” grants significant advancement to the use of the Albanian language, making it an official language alongside Macedonian in municipalities where Albanians constitute 20 percent of the population, as well as in communication with high state institutions.
Kostadinovski further stated in the interview that “The Constitutional Court never makes political decisions, but constitutional decisions that undoubtedly impact important political issues and processes in the state, though, according to him, things should not be viewed with emotions.”
These comments have provoked a strong reaction from the European Front, led by the Democratic Union for Integration, which sees this as a deliberate provocation by the government against Albanians.
“Do not touch the Albanian language!” says a statement from the European Front, which notes that raising such issues and any potential decision to undermine mechanisms and rights arising from the Ohrid Agreement is nothing more than a return to pre-Ohrid Agreement times in North Macedonia.
“These statements and actions are real scenarios for destabilizing the country and clearly show who wants and provokes tensions,” emphasizes the European Front.
Meanwhile, parties in the “Vlen” coalition, which is part of the ruling coalition, view the initiative to deny bilingualism as an attempted coup in North Macedonia.
“Vlen” stated in a statement that if such an initiative is eventually approved, it would open “Pandora’s Box” and threaten a series of hard-won processes.
Both the European Front and “Vlen” argue that the dilemmas have been consumed and resolved in the highest legislative institution, Parliament, with an overwhelming majority of votes.
The Agency for the Implementation of Languages has also reacted, describing efforts to reduce the fundamental right to use the Albanian language as a dangerous adventure.
Meanwhile, Macedonian parties VMRO-DPMNE in power and the Social Democratic Union in opposition have not commented on the Constitutional Court President’s warnings.
The Law on the Use of Languages stems from the Ohrid Agreement, which ended the armed conflict between Albanian insurgents and Macedonian military and police forces in 2001.
