Albania recognizes the existence of eight national minorities, namely the minorities of Macedonians, Greeks, Egyptians, Vlachs, Roma, Montenegrins, Serbs and Bosniaks.
This is included in a text of a bill on the protection of minorities in Albania. The draft-law, already being forwarded to the national parliament, foresees advancement of the rights of minorities.
Welcoming the move, the Tirana-based Macedonian Association ‘Ilinden’ underscores the fact that Albania is starting to show ‘a realistic picture’ about the minorities living in the country.
“It’s the reality of Albania when it comes to minorities. The law clearly specifies which minorities exist in Albania, there’s no recognition of a Bulgarian minority, despite the claims of some parties. All associations of the Macedonian community have been vehemently denying these claims over an alleged existence of a Bulgarian minority,” the organization says.
