Thursday, February 04, 2010

Erwan Fouere: Macedonian society should be acquainted to Albanian language

Skopje. Macedonian society should be acquainted to the Albanian language, said head of the EU delegation to Macedonia, Erwan Fouere, FOCUS News Agency correspondent reports.
The recommendation of High Commissioner on National Minorities with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Knut Vollebæk, is very sensitive. It gives an opportunity for the Albanian community to be better acquainted to the Macedonian language but this should be accompanied by efforts for strengthening Macedonians’ knowledge in Albanian language, Fouere said, as cited by the Macedonian media.
In end-January, a problem aroused around the introduction of classes in Macedonian language for Albanian first-grade schoolchildren, which led to a boycott against these classes. The problem incited an intensive correspondence between the Macedonian government and powerful international organizations like the EU, OSCE, and NATO and led to new disputes within the Macedonian government itself.
On January 27, Macedonian Minister of Education, Nikola Todorov, declared that he does not give up on the decision to introduced classes in Macedonian language for first-grade schoolchildren from the ethic communities.
“I will not give up on the decision and I plan to persuade those who will have to apply it that it is to the interest of everyone who lives in the Republic of Macedonia and of the entire integration of the Macedonian society in line with the modern democratic experience and traditions”, Todorov remarked, as cited by the Macedonian media.
The boycott against the classes in Macedonian continues.

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