The Albanians in western Macedonia after FYROM independence

Abstract

The Albanians in western Macedonia are probably the least known part of the Albanian nation in the Balkans, and when the second Yugoslavia began to disintegrate in 1989–90, little or no international attention was given to their position in the future remaking of the Balkan peninsular. Eyes and minds were focused on the crisis in relations between Croatia and Serbia, and the departure of Slovenia from the federation. In the following year, in September 1991, the old Socialist Republic of Macedonia left the collapsing federation peacefully, and although it was well known that the Albanians and other minorities in former Yugoslav Macedonia were very dissatisfied with their subordinate status to the Slav-speaking majority, there was no reason to believe that the position of this group, about 25 per cent of the total population, would give rise to critical problems for the future of the new state that was striving for independence and international recognition.