The Macedonian community in the Municipality of Pustec, through the Macedonian Alliance for European Integration (MAEI) party, expresses deep concern and strong opposition to the decision of the Albanian Government to open three reception centers for migrants on the territory of this municipality, specifically in the administrative unit of Zrnosko and at the sports fields in Pustec and in the village of Dolna Gorica. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
-This decision stems from the normative act “On the \napproval of the National Contingency Plan for Mixed Migration Flows \n2026\u20132028”, published in the Official Gazette, according to which, in \nthe event of a crisis, the establishment of 20 reception centers for \nmigrants on the territory of Albania over the next two years is \nenvisaged for the management of migration flows. These centers are \nplanned for migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon \nand Gaza, who use Albania as a transit country to the European Union, \nsaid Vasil Sterjovski, leader of the party, at today’s meeting with \njournalists in Kor\u00e7a, which was also attended by Atanas Ploca, deputy \nmayor of the Municipality of Pustec.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
MAEI and the Macedonians in this municipality condemn the \nfact that this decision was made without any public consultations with \nthe residents of the Macedonian community in the municipality of Pustec,\n without the involvement of the local government and without dialogue \nwith local actors, which seriously violates the principles of local \nself-government, transparency and participatory democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-We emphasize that all three areas planned for the \nconstruction of reception centers are located on the shores of Lake \nPrespa, while the entire territory of the Municipality of Pustec is part\n of the Prespa National Park, a protected area of \u200b\u200bparticular \necological, cultural and tourist importance. Furthermore, the \nMunicipality of Pustec has been declared a tourist area, while the \nvillage of Zrnosko has been included by the Albanian government itself \nin the program of 100 tourist villages, said Sterjovski.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
He added that Macedonians in Prespa are not seeking reception centers\n for migrants, but rather concrete investments in infrastructure, \ntourism, agriculture and sustainable development, in order to transform \nPrespa into a true tourist destination and stop the process of \ndepopulation of the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They assess that the opening of these centers, combined with the \ncomplete lack of state investment, risks further deepening the \nemigration of residents of the municipality of Pustec from their \nbirthplace, seriously threatening the existence and continuity of the \nMacedonian community in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-On behalf of the Macedonians, MAEI demands from the \nAlbanian government the immediate removal of the Municipality of Pustec \nfrom the map envisaged for the establishment of reception centers for \nmigrants, the planning and implementation of specific investments in \ninfrastructure and local development, taking into account the fact that \nthe Prespa area has been neglected by all governments in the last 35 \nyears, stressed Sterjovski.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
According to him, the decision is a direct violation of Article 16 of\n Law No. 96\/2017 “On the Protection of National Minorities in the \nRepublic of Albania”, which strictly prohibits taking state measures \nthat change or aim to change the demographic composition of local \nself-government units inhabited by national minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-Setting up reception centers for migrants in a municipality with an \nindigenous Macedonian population is a demographic intervention with \nlong-term consequences, which seriously threatens the survival, identity\n and sustainability of this community, and at the same time will have a \nnegative impact on the development of tourism in the Prespa region, he \nsaid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He announced that MAEI will use all legal and institutional avenues \nto protect the rights of the Macedonian community in the Municipality of\n Pustec and calls on state institutions to respect the law, the \nenvironment, the identity and will of the indigenous inhabitants of \nPrespa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n