hmm kumanova is like 40% I think...
Population
Before Macedonia became part of Yugoslavia, in 1944; western Macedonia was part of Albania. In this area, the Albanians are the original inhabitants. The Albanians are the second largest population group in Macedonia, after the Slavs-Macedonians. Other macedonian population groups include, the Turks, Vlasies, Roma and Bulgars. Approximately, 700,000 Albanians are living in Macedonia.
Culture and Language
The Albanians of Macedonia are overwhelmingly Muslim although there are a few Christian Orthodox villages. (Meanwhile, the largest population group, the Macedonian, is Christian Orthodox.) Their language is Albanian. Like other Albanians in the Balkan, they have a strong Albanian identity.
Organisations
Party for Democratic Prosperity (PPD) It is the largest Albanian party in Macedonia. It is the third party by participation in the Macedonian Parliament. President is Ymer Ymeri. Party for Democracy of Albanians in Macedonia (PPDSH) Second largest Albanian party in Macedonia. It was formed 3 years from a wing that separated from the PPD. This party's main strongholds are Tetova and Gostivar. President is Arben Xhaferi.
Economy
Agriculture is relatively well developed, although the soil is poor. There is little industry. A major part of the population, primarily Albanians, work abroad as a result of the lack of opportunities inside Macedonia.
Brief History
May 2001 Macedonia forms unity government
July 2000 Macedonia legalizes Albanian-language university
In the 1950’s and 60’s during the reign of the interior minister Aleksander Rankovic, more than 450.000 Albanians were deported to Turkey, and tens of thousands were tortured. This led to the purification of cities like Shkup (Skopje) and Monsatir (Bitola) of Albanians.
At present in Bitola, Albanian houses are once again destroyed and the Albanian population chased away from their homes.
Before the independence of Macedonia in 1992, the Albanians enjoyed the same constitutional rights as the Slav-Macedonians. However, the Albanians were discriminated against in everyday life. After 1992, Macedonia changed its constitution at the expense of the non-Slav people living in Macedonia. Although the Albanians compose around 40% of the whole population in Macedonia, the Macedonian government asserts that Albanians are only one of the minority populations in Macedonia and cannot, therefore, make claims of equality as a people.
Tensions between the Albanians and Macedonia started well before the republic’s declaration of independence. Since 1981 many Albanians have been dismissed from their jobs by the Macedonian authorities. The army, the police, the judiciary and the economy have largely been dominated by Macedonians and they have generally decided who is to get jobs and licenses. A large portion of the Albanian population was forced to seek work abroad since there have not been enough job opportunities in the FYROM.
In 1992, Macedonia changed its constitution, as above, so that all ´national rights’ belong to the Slavic-Macedonians in the new situation, which means that Albanians in Macedonia have no national rights. According to it, currently, an Albanian must gather about 3 times as many votes as a Slavic-Macedonian in order to be elected into the Parliament. (2,500 for a Slavic-Macedonian/ and in some districts 8000 to18,000 for an Albanian). More than 25 % of the Albanian population are deprived of their former citizenship, and thus denied the opportunity to vote. Albanians who work abroad lose their right to vote as well. This means that the Albanians will never be able to change any legislation. At this moment, 2001, only 1/6 are in the parliament .Because of the disproportianed high number of votes an Albanian representative must have to get into parliament, the Albanians are not able to get the 1/3rd of votes required to stop discriminatory laws.
In January 1992, the Albanians in Macedonia organized a successful referendum on territorial autonomy. The Slavic Macedonian government interpreted this as a first step toward secession and declared the referendum illegal. Shortly thereafter, the Council of Albanian Political Parties in the Former Yugoslavia -an umbrella organization of ethnic Albanians in Kosova, Montenegro, Serbia proper and Macedonia- decided that autonomy would only be an option for the Albanians in Macedonia if other democratic efforts to gain political and cultural rights fail.
Albanian people have no national rights, nevertheless, they are forced to pay the same taxes as Slavic-Macedonians. A major factor in improving living conditions for Albanians is education. The Albanians in Macedonia have long demanded higher education in the Albanian language. Admission to middle and higher education is made very difficult for Albanians, most higher education is in the Macedonian language. In reaction the Albanian population built an Albanian language university in Tetovo. The Macedonian government has not legalized the university yet and has therefore been illegal so far. As a consequence 4,000 graduates left the university without a recognized diploma. Even for Slavic-Macedonian universities, only 3 % of Albanian students are allowed to go to these universities. It is very difficult for Albanians to find proper employment. Therefore, Albanians go abroad for jobs and at this moment 30-40 % of Albanian working population are abroad for jobs.
Albanians have suffered from forced moving, they are not allowed their own school and cultural activities or weapons which is allowed for Slavic-Macedonians. They have no right to demonstrate, and are suppressed, tortured and shot. The Macedonian army and special security forces control the Albanian population and their villages.
The only way to get peace is to change the constitution and for the Slavic Macedonians to accept a multi ethnic state. But inequality and absolute advantages of the voting system have made it almost impossible to accomplish this.Western countries have neglected all of these violations of the Macedonian government in order to avoid war and conflict.
http://www.unpo.org/member.php?arg=07
