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The Albanian opposition party, the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), reacted on March 7 regarding the lack, as it said, of Albanian representation in key positions in the North Macedonian army, for the first time since the signing of the Ohrid Agreement.
These claims were raised following changes to the army's command structures, signed the day before by Macedonian President Gordana Silanovska-Davkova.
According to the DUI, the Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Military Agency do not have any Albanians in leadership positions, calling this a "serious threat to state security and a form of ethnic cleansing in the security system."
"In this alarming situation, the Albanian parties in the Government must cease their role as advocates of anti-Albanian and exclusionary policies. Albanians will not remain spectators, but will react to protect themselves and their interests," the DUI announced on Friday.
Meanwhile, according to a statement from President Silanovska-Davkova's cabinet, with the signed decrees, the Chief of Staff at the Operations Command, General Mirce Gjorgoski, has been appointed Commander of the Operations Command at the Army General Staff, while General Orce Jordevi has been appointed Director of the Army General Staff.
"Brigadier General Simeon Trajkovski, the current Director of the Army General Staff, has been appointed Advisor to the Chief of the Army General Staff for Training, Exercises and Lessons Learned," the announcement said.
DUI has also raised concerns about the integrity of the two appointed generals, Orce Jordev and Mirce Gjorgevski, claiming that they have also received negative responses from NATO regarding security certificates. Meanwhile, the Alliance for Albanians – Ziadin Sela's wing – accused General Jordev of having connections to Russian structures.
"North Macedonia is a member of NATO, while Jordev did not receive the NATO certificate four years ago because he was connected to Russian structures through the 'Night Wolves,'" said ASH - Sela.
Meanwhile, Besnik Emini, who until now was commander of the Operations Command at the Army General Staff, has been appointed state advisor for policy and planning at the Directorate for Policy and Planning, Crisis Management and Civil-Military Cooperation at the Ministry of Defense.
DUI said that the transfer of General Emini from the post of Commander of the Operations Command, a position that according to the party includes about 80% of the army's operational capacities, to an administrative position in the Ministry of Defense, constitutes a "serious blow to the role of Albanians in the army."
The party called on NATO and international allies to react to these actions and ensure that North Macedonia remains committed to democratic values and strategic partnerships.
Silanovska-Davkova's cabinet has not commented on these claims, but the announcement of the appointments states that the decrees enter into force immediately and that the appointments were made in accordance with the provisions of the Defense Law.
The Office of the Macedonian President also informed that Colonel Lulzim Nuredini has been appointed commander of the Training and Doctrine Command and, by presidential decree, has been promoted to the rank of brigadier general.
"Placing an Albanian officer in a position of limited influence does not compensate for the exclusion of Albanian leaders from critical operational commands," the DUI added.
North Macedonia had two Albanian defense ministers between 2011 and 2014. VMRO-DPMNE's Albanian partner, the VLEN coalition, accused the DUI of having no more than two Albanian generals during their time in power.
"But now with VLEN in power, we have three Albanian generals for eight months of governance. DUI must understand and accept that we are advancing Albanians, but we are also fiercely fighting crime and corruption. Now, it is not their fault that an entire Albanian people have to endure their lies and slander, that a handful of people from the clan of shame are currently corrupt and endangered," said VLEN.
Deputy Minister of Defense, Bashkim Hasani, from this coalition, during a conversation with Voice of America in January of this year, stated that Albanians are represented by 50 percent in the military hierarchy.
However, there is uncertainty about the number of sector heads in the Ministry of Defense. On the website of this ministry, out of 18 names that appear, two appear to be Albanians, while most of them are authorized in these positions, which implies the temporary exercise of the duty.
North Macedonia is also planning to open a competition to recruit 300 soldiers, and it is expected to be published soon. Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stressed that ethnic quotas will not be taken into account during the selection process, but that all candidates who meet the requirements of the competition will be accepted.
"I appeal to all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, all those who want to be included in the security system. And there are no percentages here, anyone who meets the conditions will be accepted. All those who want to participate in the defense of their homeland," Mickoski said on Wednesday.
The budget of the Ministry of Defense of North Macedonia for 2025 is about 332 million euros, an increase of about 5.2 million euros compared to 2024. North Macedonia has been a member of NATO since March 27, 2020, following an agreement to change the constitutional name of the state from the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia, after years of dispute with Athens, as Greece claims that one of its regions is called Macedonia./ REL
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