The Democratic Union for Integration announced that its president Ali Ahmeti has sent letters to albanian and international senior leaders for the "protection of the Ohrid Agreement and the interethnic stability and harmony it has built".
Today, the President of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI), Ali Ahmeti, has sent letters to the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Bajram Begaj and Edi Rama, the President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani and Albin Kurti, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the President of France Emmanuel Macron and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In this letter, Ahmeti expresses his deep concern about recent political and constitutional developments in North Macedonia, which jeopardize the achievements of the Ohrid Agreement and the principles of equality and stability in the multiethnic state," the statement reads.
They further reveal that the letters are about three recent decisions showing them.
Plans to abolish the Law on the Use of Languages, prohibit the identification of ethnicity in state institutions and the formation of a governing majority without fair representation of ethnic communities pose serious threats to the peace and stability of the country and the region as a whole. He calls on international leaders for joint action to protect the achievements of the Ohrid Agreement and the rights of Albanians in North Macedonia," the statement said.
DUI has revealed the letter sent to the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, which we forward to them in integrated form and without interference:
Honorable Mr. Edi Rama,
Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania,
I write today with deep concern about the recent political and constitutional developments in North Macedonia, which endanger the historic achievements of the Ohrid Agreement and the fundamental principles of equality and peace in our multiethnic state, especially for the Albanians of North Macedonia.
Sad plans, and the surprising one announced by the government of the country, that the Constitutional Court is expected to repeal the main provisions of the Law on the Use of Languages, which makes Albanian an official language equal under The Constitution's Amendment 5, represent a serious blow to the Ohrid Agreement, equality, interethnic harmony and stability in the country.
Furthermore, the Constitutional Court's decision to ban the identification of the ethnic affiliation of citizens in state institutions violates the principle of collective rights of ethnic communities, and therefore cancels the main instruments of balancing and the Badneter mechanism, which were at the core of the Ohrid Agreement. This mechanism is designed to guarantee the collective rights of ethnic communities according to demographic reality, providing a fundamental protection against any prevalence. The Constitutional Court eliminating the declaration of ethnicity violates the Constitution itself, where as its fundamental value has fair and adequate representation, and that it returns us to the situation before the arrival of the Ohrid Peace Agreement.
Finally, after the last elections, the fundamental principle of the Ohrid Agreement, which calls for the formation of a political majority based on the fair representation of ethnic communities, was severely violated. This action is not only about DUI, but touches on the principle of fair representation, guaranteed by Amendment 6 of the Constitution of North Macedonia, and stands as a protective mechanism to prevent the majority from dominating the non-majority.
These three major blows to the foundations of the Ohrid Agreement pose a serious threat to peace, stability, interethnic harmony and multiethnic democracy in North Macedonia. These are not just internal political issues, but have grave consequences for the region and for its stability. These interventions threaten to eradicate key elements of peace and equality, returning us to the pre-2001 conditions that were the triggers of that year's crisis and war.
At this critical moment, I call on you for joint and determined action to protect the achievements of the Ohrid Agreement and the guaranteed rights of Albanians. Your commitment to awareness of international partners and institutions relevant to this constitutional and political crisis is imperative.
Thank you for your tireless commitment to Albanian issues and the stability of the region.
With high honors and respect,
Ali Ahmeti
, Chairman of the Democratic Union for Integration