Press release by the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana

The attacks on Nikola Gjurgaj, President of the Macedonian Association IlindenTirana are part of a broader strategy to silence Macedonians in the Republic of Albania.

The Macedonian Association IlindenTirana sends its strongest reaction to the so-called portal burevestnik.bg because its writings are part of the media strategy to pressure Macedonians in the Republic of Albania.

This is an attempt to silence the truth and cover up the real assimilationist policy of Sofia towards Macedonians in the Republic of Albania by the Bulgarian emissaries. Nikola Gjurgaj, President of the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana, is being attacked with false information.

This is a classic example of media manipulation aimed at discrediting the personality and work of Mr. Nikola Gjurgjaj, and not at informing information. Anyone who understands such texts a little will get an excellent opportunity to have fun with humor written in a Bulgarian office.

In the very title “The Bulgarian ring around Macedonia – Macedonians in panic – Bulgaria is melting their population on two fronts”.

The text is a political pamphlet with the clear aim of defaming Mr. Nikola Gjurgjaj, as the presidentof the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana.

Therefore, we strongly condemn such behavior of the so-called portal originating from an EU member state. Considering the EU’s goal of not spreading false information, we appreciate that such portals could not be registered, let alone exist in an EU country. But that is Bulgaria where everything is possible. The anti-Macedonian mission of the Bulgarian emissaries among the Macedonians in Albania is obvious and clear.

As protectors of the Macedonian national identity in the Republic of Albania, the Macedonian Association IlindenTirana will inform all relevant institutions and at the same time calls on the institutions in the Republic of Albania to take specific measures to protect Albanian citizens of Macedonian origin.

On this occasion, we also point out the fact, hushed up by the so-called portal, that in all population censuses in the Republic of Albania from its independence on November 28, 1912 to 2022, not a single resident of the Republic of Albania declared himself as Bulgarian.

Contrary to all population censuses in the Republic of Albania in 2017, with blackmail over the European future of the Republic of Albania, Bulgarians were included in the Law on Minorities.

At the same time, we urge the so-called portal to read the Resolutions of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN) condemning the attempts of the Bulgarian state to portray Macedonians in the Republic of Albania as Bulgarians. Moreover, Bulgaria as a state has a practice of not respecting international institutions.

We ask the international community to demand from its member, Bulgaria, respect our basic human right to declare ourselves as Macedonians and to stop spreading lies and hate speech against all who declare themselves as Macedonians.

Mr. Nezir Mecha, Vice President of the Macedonian Association IlindenTirana

Mr. Fatri Fetahu, Coordinator of the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana for the Golo Brdo area

Ms. Sabina Xhelili, Coordinator of the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana for the Elbasan District

Mr. Lambe Shatrovski, Coordinator of the Macedonian Association Ilinden Tirana for the homeland of Macedonia