Hoxhaj: Decisions to restore Yugoslav-era names in Tetovo harm the spirit of Ohrid and the rights of Albanians

Enver Hoxhaj, an elected PDK lawmaker, has reacted to the decisions to restore names from the Yugoslav period in Tetovo, saying they undermine historical memory, identity, and the spirit on which coexistence was built after the Ohrid Agreement.

According to Hoxhaj, restoring names linked to Josip Broz Tito represents the return of the symbolism of a regime that, as he put it, oppressed Albanians for decades.

“The decisions to restore names from the Yugoslav period in Tetovo affect historical memory, identity, and the spirit on which coexistence was built after the Ohrid Agreement. The restoration of names linked to Josip Broz Tito represents the return of the symbolism of the regime that oppressed Albanians for decades. It also brings back the legacy of the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA), which committed serious crimes and took part in genocidal campaigns against Albanians in Kosovo, as well as against Bosniaks and Croats during the breakup of Yugoslavia,” Hoxhaj wrote.

He underlined that the hard-won rights of Albanians in North Macedonia should not be called into question through decisions that, according to him, create insecurity and deepen divisions.

“The hard-won rights of Albanians in North Macedonia should not be called into question through decisions that create insecurity and fuel divisions. Preserving equality, respecting the Albanian language and the multiethnic character of the state are the foundation of the country’s stability and its Euro-Atlantic orientation,” he said.

In conclusion, Hoxhaj said that any action affecting the spirit of the Ohrid Agreement harms North Macedonia’s democracy, peace, and European perspective.

“Any step that weakens the spirit and principles of the Ohrid Agreement serves neither democracy, nor peace, nor North Macedonia’s European perspective. Albanians deserve legal certainty, full equality, and respect for their hard-won rights, not a step backward,” Hoxhaj concluded.