Skopje, 14 September 2023 (MIA) – We have a guarantee by the Government of Albania, which is a NATO member, that the census in the country will be carried out in line with all global standards, the Eurostat standards, while we will continue to assist our Macedonians in Albania, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski on Thursday, asked about the visit of Bulgarian Vice President Iliana Iotova to Albania, as part of which she will visit Golo Brdo and launch the school year in an Elbasan school.

According to BTA, Iotova is set to visit Albania on September 14-16, upon the invitation of the “Bulgarians in Albania” association. Her visit comes ahead of the census in Albania, which, according to her press service, is an important moment for the Bulgarian ethnic minority in Albania since it was recognized in 2017.

In answer to a journalist’s question Thursday, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said that as a country North Macedonia has excellent relations with Albania, and it assists the Macedonian population in the country in numerous ways.

“A month ago, together with my colleagues, we donated equipment for road clearing to our Macedonians. Minister Bujar Osmani was also a part of a significant project for donating school supplies to our Macedonians living in Albania, we will continue with this,” said Kovachevski.

The PM noted that, as a Government, they are aiding the Macedonian population in Albania, and they have never asked them to do anything for any political establishment, adding that the Government values and aids all Macedonians anywhere in the world.

“We love and value our Macedonians in Albania, and in Greece, in Bulgaria, in Serbia, in the whole world, and we aid them all equally in terms of nurturing the Macedonian language, Macedonian literature, right to education in their native language. In the past couple of months, several Macedonian language departments were opened in the neighboring countries at their best universities. The opening of a Cultural Information Center in Serbia is ready as well, and works are being finalized on the transportation from Albania of the long-stolen icons from Macedonian churches, thanks to the Albanian Government and thanks to Prime Minister Edi Rama,” said Kovachevski.

The Bulgarian Vice President is expected to visit the village of Golemo Ostreni, where, according to her press office, she is to meet with the representatives of the Bulgarian ethnic minority from the Golo Brdo region.

Golo Brdo and the village of Golemo Ostreni are situated in the eastern part of Albania, and are mostly populated by Macedonians.

VMRO-DPMNE Vice President and MP, Aleksandar Nikolovski, wrote in a Facebook post Friday that Bulgaria is looking for non-existent Bulgarians in Albania.

“When Macedonia isn’t working, the assimilatory policy of Bulgaria will! Instead of implementing the judgements from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg which demand the recognition of Macedonians in Bulgaria and their right to association and their native Macedonian language, Bulgaria is looking for non-existent Bulgarians in Albania, buying the souls of the suffering and tortures people who live in harsh poverty in Albania, by offering them Bulgarian passports which they can use to earn their bread in the wealthier EU countries. This is the truth! There are no Bulgarians in Albania, there are Macedonians who aren’t protected and left alone by Macedonia. Very soon the SDSM and DUI Government in Macedonia, which doesn’t have the support of the people, will fall, and the Macedonians in Albania and worldwide will stand proud with their heads held high,” wrote Nikolovski.