Albanian nationalism in North Macedonia
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Albanian nationalism in North Macedonia traces its roots in the wider Albanian nationalist movement which emerged as a response to the
Reincorporated within Yugoslavia, Albanian nationalism in North Macedonia has drawn upon sociopolitical influences stemming from Albanian nationalism in Kosovo. Being a minority population, the addition of Islam has also shaped and blended into definitions of local national Albanian identity in opposition to the Orthodox Slavic
History
Late Ottoman period
The Albanian National movement first emerged in Kosovo through the
Some people coming from a Balkan Albanian speaking or cultural space and often belonging to the urban elite in Macedonia that migrated to Anatolia did not always identify with a concept of Albanianess.[8] Instead they adopted an Ottoman Turkish outlook and came to refer to themselves as Turks or Ottoman Turkish speaking citizens.[8] Due to the effects of socio-linguistic assimilation, promoters of Albanian nationalism became concerned about migration to Anatolia and degraded Albanians from the lower classes who undertook the journey.[9] In 1908, an alphabet congress in Bitola with Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox delegates in attendance agreed to adopt a Latin character-based Albanian alphabet and the move was considered an important step for Albanian unification.[10][11][12][13] Some conservative Albanian Muslims and clerics along with the Ottoman government opposed the Latin alphabet and preferred an Arabic-based Albanian alphabet due to concerns that a Latin alphabet undermined ties with the Muslim world.[10][11][12] The Ottoman state organised a congress in Debar (1909) with the intention that Albanians there declare themselves as Ottomans, promise to defend its territorial sovereignty and adopt an Albanian Arabic character alphabet.[14] Due to the alphabet matter and other Young Turk policies, relations between Albanian elites and nationalists, many Muslim and Ottoman authorities broke down.[13][15] The Ottoman Young Turk government was concerned that Albanian nationalism might inspire other Muslim nationalities in the direction of nationalism and separatism and threaten the Islam-based unity of the empire.[14]
Balkan Wars, World War One, Interwar period and World War Two
Ottoman rule ended in 1912 during the Balkan Wars and Macedonia with its Albanian population became part of
Communist Yugoslavia
With the end of the Second World War, Albanian inhabited areas became part of the
Albanian nationalism during the 1980s
By the late 1970s and early 1980s organised Albanian separatism had spread to Macedonia with Yugoslav security forces claiming to have uncovered two Albanian separatist organisations.
In Macedonia from the late 1980s onward a lack of a majority atheistic Albanian elite enhanced links between political parties and the religious establishment which entrenched Islam in ethnonational self definitions among Albanians.[41] Yugoslav authorities concerned that Albanian nationalism from Kosovo may spread to Macedonia sought to weaken the ethnonational consciousness of Albanians and attempted to assimilate them in Macedonia.[41][42] This was done through fragmenting the Muslim community along ethnic lines by encouraging and spreading among Macedonian speaking Muslims (Torbeš) a Macedonian national consciousness.[41] The Islamic Community of Yugoslavia dominated by Slavic Muslims opposed during the 1980s Albanian candidates ascending to the leadership position of Reis ul-ulema due to claims that Albanian Muslim clergy were attempting to Albanianize the Muslim Slavs of Macedonia.[43] The Macedonian communists supported Muslim religious institutions acting as a bulwark to check Albanian nationalism.[41] As such Albanian language schools were closed down in the mid-1980s and the Isa Bey madrassa was reopened which became a focal point for Yugoslav Muslim Albanian education.[41]
Albanian language schools and its school curricula were viewed by Macedonian communists as being infiltrated by Albanian nationalism and irredentism with actions taken by authorities to curtail those sentiments.[44] Some of those measures against Albanian education included requiring use of only the Macedonian language (1981) and sackings of non-compliant teachers.[45][42] The number of Albanian students in schools halved.[38] Those events caused concern within the Albanian community resulting in protests, boycotts and other tensions with communist authorities and the state.[45] Some Albanian folk songs were also deemed to have nationalistic content and their use on radio was denounced and alongside use of Albanian toponyms both were banned.[46][38] Restrictions and bans were placed on Albanian parents naming their newborn children with names that were deemed nationalistic such as Shqipë, Liriduam (meaning wanting freedom), Alban, Albana, Flamur (Albanian flag), Kushtrim and others that connoted for communist authorities loyalty to communist Albania.[47][38] The Albanian birthrate caused concern for communist authorities who viewed it as contributing to rising Albanian nationalism and family planning measures were enacted in municipalities of western Macedonia to limit parents to two children.[47][42][38][48]
Some Albanian public officials were dismissed due to attending weddings that had nationalist songs sung while many cultural clubs were shut down.[49] The campaign against Albanian nationalism was referred to as differentiation.[47] Macedonian communist authorities concerned with growing Albanian nationalism contended that Turks and Macedonian speaking Muslims (Torbeš) were being Albanianised through Albanian political and cultural pressures.[50] Mosques in Macedonia were controlled by the communists and they turned into places that sheltered and fostered Albanian national identity.[41] Communist authorities came to view Islam as a tool of Albanian nationalism.[51] In the attempt to abolish religious identity, measures were taken by Macedonian communist authorities that appropriated Muslim buildings for state use, destroyed Islamic libraries and two roads were constructed through Muslim cemeteries in Tetovo and Gostivar.[42] In 1990 Albanian activists in Tetovo organised demonstrations that called for the creation of Greater Albania.[52] Albanian nationalists viewed their inclusion within Yugoslavia as an occupation.[53]
Post Yugoslavia: Macedonian independence and the 2001 insurgency
Albanians in Macedonia alongside their Kosovan Albanian counterparts after the fall of communism became the main force steering Albanian nationalism.[54] While Islam did not become a main focal point in articulating Albanian political nationalism it influenced the collective outlook of Albanians in Macedonia.[54][55] With Macedonian independence (1991) the status of Albanians became demoted to "national minority" from the previous Yugoslav category of "nationality".[41] While the constitution referred to Macedonia as being the nationstate of Macedonians.[41]
A referendum (1992) was held in Albanian majority Western Macedonia with 72% of eligible voters voting for autonomy and the federalisation of Macedonia.
Albanians in independent Macedonia held only 4% of state jobs, Albanian language secondary schools declined from ten to one and the Albanian language at a university language was taught as a foreign language.[42][59] During the 1990s protests by Albanians and tensions with the Macedonian state developed in incidents such as the government ordered cessation of flying the Albanian flag at municipal offices in Tetovo and Gostivar alongside disputes with the Albanian education sector.[41][42][59] The return from Kosovo of several local Albanians from the professional elite to Macedonia contributed through influence over the Albanian populace by strengthening an Albanian national consciousness and mobilising sociopolitical organisation.[60]
The ending of the
Post conflict, Albanians in Macedonia have placed new statues of Albanian historical figures like Skanderbeg in Skopje and named schools after such individuals while memorials have been erected for fallen KLA and NLA fighters.[69] These developments have increased tensions between Albanians and Macedonians.[69] The figure of Saint Mother Teresa (1910-1997), a Catholic Albanian nun born in Skopje has been used for nationalist purposes within Macedonia as her origins have been contested and her legacy claimed by some Macedonian and Albanian elites from the local political and academic spectrum.[70]
Within the context of societal image and stereotypes, Albanian nationalist constructs perceives the other such as the Macedonians as ignorant, and similar views exist on the Macedonian side of Albanians.[71] Albanian nationalists view Macedonian ethnicity as invented by the Yugoslavs to weaken Serbia, prevent other identities forming and to legitimise the existence of a Macedonian republic in communist Yugoslavia.[72] Macedonians are referred to by Albanians as an ethnic collectivity with the term Shkie (Slavs) that also carries pejorative connotations.[53][73] Some Macedonian commentators have worried that Albanian nationalists view Macedonians as being without historic territorial rights over areas in Macedonia that would become part of a Greater Albania and lay claim to almost half of the territory of the republic as was once promoted by the League of Prizren.[53]
In the political sphere Albanian parties maintain secular and nationalistic platforms while supporting the secular framework of the state with an insistence on protecting Islam and the culture of Muslim constituents along with control and interference of Muslim institutions.
See also
References
Citations
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 310.
- ^ Merdjanova 2013, p. 42.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 293.
- ^ Nezir-Akmese 2005, pp. 96, 98.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 294.
- ^ a b Nezir-Akmese 2005, p. 52.
- ^ Nezir-Akmese 2005, pp. 52, 96.
- ^ a b Gingeras 2009, pp. 31–32, 34.
- ^ Gingeras 2009, p. 34.
- ^ a b Skendi 1967a, pp. 370–378.
- ^ a b Duijzings 2000, p. 163.
- ^ a b Gawrych 2006, pp. 182.
- ^ a b Nezir-Akmese 2005, p. 96.
- ^ a b Nezir-Akmese 2005, p. 97.
- ^ Saunders 2011, p. 97.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 297.
- ^ a b c d Babuna 2004, p. 298.
- ^ Fontana 2017, pp. 91–92.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 300.
- ^ Hall 2010, p. 183.
- ^ Judah 2008, p. 47.
- ^ Fontana 2017, p. 92.
- ^ Rossos 2013, pp. 185–186.
- ^ Bailey 2011, p. 100.
- ^ Reginald 1999, pp. 197–188.
- ^ Judah 2008, p. 52.
- ^ a b Poulton 1995, p. 138.
- ^ Takeyh & Gvosdev 2004, p. 80.
- ^ Takeyh & Gvosdev 2004, pp. 80–81.
- ^ Takeyh & Gvosdev 2004, p. 81.
- ^ Македонските Бугари и Албанците заедно во борбата со југословенскиот комунизам
- ^ Poulton 1995, p. 126.
- ^ Fontana 2017, p. 96.
- ^ Poulton 1995, pp. 126–127.
- ^ Koinova 2013, p. 37.
- ^ a b c Peshkopia 2015, p. 61.
- ^ Ramet 2006, p. 300.
- ^ a b c d e Fontana 2017, p. 97.
- ^ a b Ramet 2006, p. 302.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 307.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Merdjanova 2013, p. 46.
- ^ a b c d e f Ahmed 2013, p. 244.
- ^ Babuna 2004, p. 303.
- ^ Poulton 1995, p. 127.
- ^ a b Poulton 1995, pp. 129–130.
- ^ Poulton 1995, pp. 127–128.
- ^ a b c Poulton 1995, p. 128.
- ^ Brunnbauer 2004, p. 575. "Albanian “demographic expansion” was identified by the leadership of the Socialist Macedonian Republic as part of the increasing Albanian nationalism in Macedonia in the 1980s"
- ^ Poulton 1995, pp. 128–129.
- ^ Poulton 1995, pp. 138–139.
- ^ Poulton 1995, p. 130.
- ^ a b c Roudometof 2002, p. 172.
- ^ a b c Batkovski & Rajkocevski 2014, p. 95.
- ^ a b Merdjanova 2013, p. 49.
- ^ Gallagher 2005, p. 83.
- ^ Ramet 1997, p. 80.
- ^ a b c Bugajski 1994, p. 116.
- ^ Neofotistos 2008, p. 28. "“Republic of Illirida”, a name formed by the conjunction of Illyria and Dardania"
- ^ a b c Fontana 2017, p. 100.
- ^ Peshkopia 2015, p. 63, 75.
- ^ a b c Gregorian 2015, pp. 93–94.
- ^ a b Liotta & Jebb 2004, pp. 63–64.
- ^ Koktsidis & Dam 2008, p. 161.
- ^ a b Koktsidis & Dam 2008, pp. 174–179.
- ^ a b Fontana 2017, p. 103.
- ^ a b c d Merdjanova 2013, p. 47.
- ^ a b c Peshkopia 2015, pp. 76.
- ^ Roudometof 2002, p. 188
- ^ a b Koktsidis & Dam 2008, p. 179.
- ^ Alpion 2004, pp. 230–232, 235.
- ^ Lambevski 2002, pp. 311, 315.
- ^ Peshkopia 2015, p. 57.
- ^ Neofotistos 2004, p. 51.
- ^ Stojarova 2010, p. 50.
- ^ Peshkopia 2015, p. 79.
- ^ a b Merdjanova 2013, p. 45.
- ^ Bechev 2009, p. 188. "Several villages in the Upper Reka subregion were, in the past, populated by Orthodox Albanian speakers who have been largely assimilated by the Slavic Macedonians."
- ^ Mirčevska 2007, p. 132."Горнореканците со муслиманска религија денес себе си се идентификуваат како Албанци, додека православите христијани како Македонци. [Upper Reka people of the Muslim religion today identify themselves as Albanians, while Orthodox Christians as Macedonians.]"
- ^ Arsovska, Elizabeta. "Eksluzivno: Večer vo poseta na Mavrovsko-gornorekanskiot kraj. Zboruvame albanski, no nie sme makedonci i majčin jazik ni e makedonskiot! [Exclusive: Večer visits Mavrovo-Gorna Reka region. We speak Albanian, but we are Macedonians and our native language is Macedonian!]". Večer. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ Giorgievski, Branko. "Branslav Sinadinovski specijalen sovetik na liderot Ali Ahmeti: Liturgiite ne se dovolni, sakame posebna Albanska Pravoslavna Crkva [Branslav Sinadinovski special consultant to leader Ali Ahmeti: Liturgies are not enough, we want a separate Albanian Orthodox Church]". Dnevnik. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "Škretite imaat makedonski koreni i ne možat da se poistovetuvaat so Albancite [Shkreti have Macedonian roots and can not be identified with Albanians]". Makedoncka Nacija. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
- ^ "Kujt i pengon përkatësia etnike shqiptare e z. Sinadinovski?! [Who prevents the Albanian ethnicity of Mr. Sinadinovski?!]". Klan Macedonia. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Më thonë Branko Manojlovski, por unë jam shqiptar [The call me Branko Manojlovski, but I am Albanian]". Zeri. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Branislav Sinadinovski- Pravoslaven Albanec ili običen Izmamnik? [Branislav Sinadinovski - Albanian Orthodox or lovable rogue?]". Fokus. 4 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Manojlovski thotë se Sinadinovski është kushëriri im, edhe ai shqiptar [Manojlovski says Sinadinovski is his cousin, and an Albanian]". Koha. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- ^ "Shqiptarët ortodoks të Maqedonisë kërkojnë liturgji në gjuhën shqipe [Macedonian Orthodox Albanians seeking liturgy in Albanian]". The Albanian. 2014-09-11. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
- ^ "Shqiptarët që po trondisin Maqedoninë [Albanians are shaking Macedonia]". Koha Jona. Retrieved 19 December 2015.[permanent dead link]
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