Macedonia: a Promising Journey Interrupted?

Abstract

The predictions that the Republic of Macedonia would be the next ring in the chain of crisis areas on the territory of the former Yugoslavia came true in 2001. There were armed conflicts between the members of the National Liberation Army (NLA), predominantly Albanians citizens of the Republic of Macedonia and the Macedonian security forces from the end of February until August 2001 on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. The Republic of Macedonia avoided the scenario of Bosnia-Herzegovina thanks to the moderateness of most of its citizens, and thanks to the quick intervention of the international community, most prominently the EU and the United States. To overcome the existing situation, as well as to prevent the escalation of inter-ethnic clashes, they have exercised certain pressure over the leaders of the major Macedonian and Albanian political parties for acceptance of amendments to the country’s constitution. Those amendments considerably improve the individual and collective human rights of the ethnic communities that constitute more than 20 percent of the total population of the country. At the same time, they ensure a new and efficient parliamentary procedure that eliminates the possibility for simple majority voting, especially with regards to legal acts that, in one way or another, affect issues of cultural identity or the individual and collective rights of ethnic minorities. Practically, the solutions offered by the international community and accepted by the Macedonian parliament served and continue to serve the aim of long-term stabilization of inter-ethnic relations. The long delay of the conduction of the census of the population, which was held during November 2002, was also a part of these efforts. However, the Republic of Macedonia has a long way to go to stabilize its entire domestic situation. Everything that was successfully built up during the last eleven years has been seriously disrupted. Common mistrust and intolerance between Macedonians and Albanians is at the highest level. The slow return of internally displaced people, as well as constant disruptions to public order and peace by armed Albanian groups, constitute additional burdens for already brittle relations between the coalition partners in the government.