Volume IV, Issue II (April 2006) - Columbus School of Law

Decree introduced changing of names and surnames which were "inappropriate" and "offensive",followed by a issuing of a Lexicon on the names of people, prepared by the Institute for AlbanianLanguage, which included names which can and should be given to all newborn children,regardless of national, racial or other belonging, but in effect it specifically targeted the membersof the minorities 231 . Furthermore, Decree No.225 in 1975 instigated the changing of names thathave religious connotations, while the 1979 Decree5.912 provided for internment of those who"represent a danger to the social system" ,used to diffuse the minorities throughout the countrywith an aim to reduce their rights, in light of the fact that the education in mother tongue up tofourth grade was possible only in villages settled entirely with minorities and if they were in asufficient number. 232 The change of names and toponomy, is a practice adopted in Greece as well.As regards names, it can be argued that this is a direct intervention in what is, by its very nature,an extremely private affair. 233The 1989 census in Albania showed that only 64.816 or 2.0 % of the population arenational minorities, and it is the last one, which gives information on the national minorities,since the 2001 census did not include declaration on nationality and religion. 234 The Governmentclaims that there are approximately 5, 000 persons belonging to the Macedonian national minorityliving mostly in the region of Mala Prespa. However, Macedonian sources allege that there areMacedonians living in other parts of Albania, as well, but which still have not had the opportunityfor national identification and that the number is much bigger, than the one officially presented. 235Nevertheless, the minority practices ( through its members) the freedom of association, and has anumber of organizations such as "Prespa", "Mir" (Peace), "MED" and "Gora", which since 2002are organized in "Association of the Macedonians in Albania", still not registered by theauthorities. 236 In addition, after three delays, the court in Tirana, registered recently, the firstpolitical party of the Macedonians -"Macedonian Alliance for European Integration" which shallstrive that the members of the minority living in the areas of Gora and Golo Brdo and in otherareas where there is large percentage of Macedonians, are acknowledged as a national minority,and to get education in their mother tongue ( the benefits of minority rights are limited to the socalled "minority zones", and in the case of the Macedonians, that is only the Mala Prespa region),as well as for a better participation in the state institutions. 237 The regions were the minority lives(Mala Prespa, Golo Brdo, Gora and others) are one of the least developed in the country, and theorganizations of the minority are requesting for financial help from the state in the fields ofculture, infrastructure and for creating minimal conditions for economic development. 238 Theright to participation (which is ensured through freedom of association, expression, the formingof the political party of the Macedonian minority) is meaningless unless a group has the abilityand the resources to exercise it and where minorities have been economically or sociallydisadvantaged, unless special programmes, such as educational facilities, access to the public231 See Balevski, supra at 41, p259232 Ortakovski, supra at 39, p.301233 See Varennes, supra at 20234Report submitted by Albania supra at 45235 Fakti za Makedonskoto Nacionalno Malcinstvo vo sosednite zemji[ Facts on the Macedonian NationalMinority in the Neighboring Countries,] given to author by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republicof Macedonia[hereinafter referred to as Facts on MNM]236 Id Facts on the MNM,237 Dnevnik, 9 June 2005238 Facts on the MNM supra at 5146