The party of Macedonians in Albania, the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI), has submitted an official request to the Special Parliamentary Committee on Administrative-Territorial Reform within the Assembly of the Republic of Albania. This document, signed by the party’s president, Vasil Sterjovski, clearly defines the red lines and key demands of the Macedonian national minority ahead of the announced territorial changes.
MAEI decisively demands that the Municipality of Pustec remain a distinct local self-government unit and undergo no territorial changes within the framework of the new reform, meaning it should not be merged with other administrative units.
The party bases this demand on the Constitution of Albania, international obligations (the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter of Local Self-Government), as well as Article 16 of the Albanian Law on the Protection of National Minorities (No. 96/2017), which explicitly states:
“It is prohibited to take measures that alter the composition of the population in local self-government units where persons belonging to national minorities reside, with the aim of restricting the rights and freedoms provided for by this law.”
Pustec Municipality is the only local unit in Albania where the Macedonian minority constitutes the majority of the population, making its preservation crucial for survival and the protection of identity.
The second key demand of MAEI is to rename Pustec Municipality to Prespa Municipality.
This proposal is based on the fact that Pustec is only one of the nine villages in the municipality, while the name “Prespa” more comprehensively represents the historical, geographical, cultural, and natural identity of the entire region. The term “Prespa” is traditionally used by the local population, enjoys international recognition, and the entire administrative section coincides with the “Prespa” National Park. The renaming would further assist in promoting the region as a tourist and ecological zone with distinct values.
“Taking into account the importance of preserving the identity, representation, and rights of the Macedonian national minority in Albania, we request that these recommendations be seriously considered during the drafting of proposals for the administrative-territorial reform,” states the official letter signed by Vasil Sterjovski.