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Editor’s note
The publication you have before you is a product of a one-year research
project of the University of South East Europe, which unites scientific analysis
and research of tens of professors regarding the ten-year implementation of the
Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA).
The aim of this interdisciplinary research project was to academically
research the extent of the implementation of this agreement, judging from the
political, constitutional-legal, state representatives, budgetary, language and
communicating aspects, in the ten year anniversary of its signing. This is of
particular importance as the implementation of this agreement was delayed for
seven years. Whereas, from the substantial aspect, there were at least four more
key issues left unimplemented: the officialization of the Albanian language,
representation of the Albanians in senior state positions, equal budget
participation and the implementation of the law on amnesty.
The analysis collected and summarized in this trilingual publication
(Albanian, Macedonian and English), along with the public opinion poll of
Macedonia in different parts of Macedonia, strives to answer the substantial
question of this scientific research: Does Macedonia function as a multi-ethnic
state (ten years since the signing of this agreement)? This scientific and research
question coincides with two significant anniversaries: the 20th anniversary of the
independence of Macedonia from SFRY and the 10th anniversary of the signing of
the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU.
The year2011 was a genuine case to analyze to what extent have the many
statements for building a multi-nation state, proclaimed on the occasion of the
state sovereignization of Macedonia, on the occasion of assuming duties deriving
from the Stabilization and Association Agreement and finally, on the occasion of
signing of the Agreement which put an end to the armed conflict, been
implemented during the last decade?
The best answer to this question would be the metaphor of the glass not
filled completely. For someone, it is half filled, whereas for some, it is half empty.
The contributions of local, regional and international academics and
diplomats are part of this three-volume publication; there are also contributions
from witnesses and external mediators of the OFA, who presented them at the
international two-day conference organized by our University (SEEU), Columbia
University (New York), the University of Cyrillius and Methodius (Skopje), and the
Tetova State University, and held in Tetova and Skopje on 20-21 June 2011.’ We
believe that with this interdisciplinary publication we have diminished the
absence of scientific research for the first decade of OFA, addressed only on the
basis of political assessments.
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