The statement “Macedonia 73 years, Albanians 3000 years” reignites clashes over the past

A statement by Bojana Stefanovska from past years is once again circulating strongly on social platforms, bringing back to the spotlight the heated debate about the history of Macedonia, its state formation, and the roots of Albanians in the Balkan Peninsula, reports INA.

In the statement making rounds on the internet, Stefanovska placed side by side the institutional history of Macedonia and that of the Albanian nation, underlining that Macedonia as a republic within former Yugoslavia is closely tied to Tito’s era, while Albanians possess a much more ancient past.

According to words attributed to Stefanovska: “Macedonia was founded by Tito in 1945, so it has 73 years of history, and out of these, only 27 years of existence as a state. Albanians have a state with 106 years of history and 3000 years of national history, just like the Hellenes.”

These statements have enlivened conversations about the past and the state-building of Macedonia, as well as about the origin and historical continuity of the Albanian people in the region.

From a historical perspective, Macedonia took shape as a Yugoslav federal unit during the years of World War II, with the institutional process anchored in the ASNOM Assembly of 1944. Its journey as an independent country began in 1991, after the referendum of September 8 was held.

On the other hand, the modern Albanian state has its origins in the Declaration of Independence on November 28, 1912.

Regarding the reference to “3000 years of Albanian history,” it belongs to a broader discussion in the field of historiography on the origin and uninterrupted presence of Albanians in the Balkans. This symbolic figure should not be confused with the age of the Albanian state, whose independence was declared in 1912.

The unceasing circulation of Bojana Stefanovska’s statement on social networks is keeping alive the sensitive debate over history, national identity, and the state-building of the Balkan peoples.