FLASH
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Albanian students in North Macedonia are protesting against the state bar exam being held only in Macedonian, demanding recognition of the right to take the test in Albanian. The protest has reignited the debate on the implementation of the Law on Languages, the Ohrid Agreement and the equality of Albanians in state institutions...
Albanian students in North Macedonia have protested against the denial of the state bar exam in Albanian, describing the situation as discriminatory and contrary to constitutional rights to use their native language.
Thousands of people have filled the center of Skopje, while Albanian students from Kosovo have also joined the protest, while those from Albania are still stranded at the border.
The protests have focused on the demand that students of Albanian-language law faculties have the right to take their professional exam in the same language they studied in. According to them, the obligation to conduct the test only in Macedonian creates inequality and violates the right to equal representation in the legal system.
The debate concerns the interpretation of the Law on Languages and constitutional provisions in North Macedonia. Although the Albanian language enjoys official status in the country following the Ohrid Agreement and the constitutional amendments of 2001, in practice the legal system continues to function mainly in Macedonian.
Students and their supporters argue that there is a discrepancy between the rights guaranteed in law and the way they are implemented by institutions. They point out that the use of Albanian is permitted in many administrative and educational fields, but is indirectly restricted in the justice system and in state professional exams.
The issue has also taken on a political dimension. Albanian opposition parties in North Macedonia have supported the protests, accusing institutions of procrastination and a lack of will to fully implement language rights. Meanwhile, supportive reactions have also come from Albanian academic institutions.
The Rector of the University of Tirana, Artan Hoxha, has publicly come out in support of the students, describing their request as a fundamental right and not a political privilege.
According to analysts and legal experts, the protest has highlighted gaps and ambiguities in the implementation of the Law on Languages, particularly regarding the use of Albanian in central institutions and the judicial system.
One of the most contentious points remains the 20% representation criterion, which determines the official use of community languages at the local level. Critics argue that this criterion limits the rights of Albanians in areas where they constitute less than 20% of the population, creating obstacles in administration, education and justice.
Students are demanding concrete legal changes that would guarantee the use of the Albanian language at all levels of the legal and educational system, without territorial restrictions or different institutional interpretations.
Their protest is seen by supporters as a test for the real functioning of the multiethnic state in North Macedonia and for the practical implementation of the principles of equality and coexistence provided for by the Ohrid Agreement. /Pamphlet
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