Alliance for Albanians Criticizes 35th Anniversary Video: Albanians Excluded, Albanian Language Not Used

The Alliance for Albanians has criticized the video released by the Government to mark the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence. According to the Alliance for Albanians, Albanians were almost entirely excluded from the video, while the Albanian language was left out altogether.

The party described it as unacceptable that official content, financed in part by the taxes of Albanian citizens, should be based on a monoethnic narrative and create the impression that the country belongs to only one community.

The Alliance for Albanians stressed that Albanians have been an integral part of the country’s major political and social developments, from the period of independence and the establishment of democratic institutions to NATO membership and the path toward the European Union. According to the party, their contribution in the political, economic, educational, cultural and social spheres is indisputable and therefore cannot be disregarded or erased from the official state narrative.

The Alliance for Albanians called on the Government to withdraw the video and replace it with new material that is dignified, representative and inclusive. According to the party, it should respect the Albanian language and properly portray the role of Albanians in the country’s history, development and present-day reality.

The party also expressed regret over the lack of a response from Albanian representatives in the Government, who, as stated in its reaction, choose to remain silent even when the dignity, identity and representation of Albanians are directly undermined. The Alliance for Albanians emphasized that the country belongs to all its citizens and that this should also be reflected in state symbolism.