Alliance for Albanians Accuses EBR of Lack of Albanians and Albanian Language at 25th Anniversary Ceremony

The Alliance for Albanians has reacted following a ceremony organised to mark the 25th anniversary of the Rapid Intervention Unit within North Macedonia’s Ministry of Interior, known as EBR.

According to the party, no Albanians were present at the event and not a single word was spoken in Albanian. The Alliance for Albanians said the ceremony conveyed the image of an institution in a mono-ethnic state.

In its full reaction, the Alliance for Albanians stressed that the EBR marked its 25th anniversary through a state ceremony, during which decorations and recognitions were awarded. However, according to the party, what was seen at the event created the impression of an institution in a mono-ethnic state.

ASH claims that no Albanians took part in the official ceremony, while the Albanian language was entirely absent from the institutional stage. According to the statement, the Albanian Deputy Minister of Interior was also not present.

As part of the ceremony, the best member was awarded, while plaques were presented to institutional leaders. A total of 33 members were honoured for 25 years of service, but ASH says Albanians were once again left invisible, as if they do not exist in this country.

The party described it as unacceptable and unjustifiable for the matter to be treated as a simple protocol oversight.

“Where is VLEN? Where is Deputy Minister Astrit Iseni?” ASH asked, raising doubts about the role of Albanian representation in the Ministry of Interior if, at such an anniversary, Albanians and the Albanian language are removed from the institutional picture.

The Alliance for Albanians is seeking public answers from the Ministry of Interior on the number of Albanians currently serving in the Rapid Intervention Unit, the number of Albanians among the 33 recipients of decorations, the reason for the absence of the Albanian language at the ceremony, and the absence of the Albanian deputy minister.

According to ASH, VLEN may continue counting its positions, while citizens, as the statement says, are seeing every day how many Albanians are disappearing from institutions. The party added that silence in the face of this situation does not constitute representation, but merely serves as a decoration for VMRO-DPMNE’s government.