Following his visit to Kosovo, the People’s Advocate of Albania, Mr. Endrit Shabani, and his counterpart, Mr. Naim Qelaj, held an official meeting in Skopje with the People’s Advocate of North Macedonia, Mr. Faton Selami.

The meeting discussed the recent protests of Albanian students and the guarantee of the use of the Albanian language in higher education.

In his capacity as People’s Advocate and President of the Organization of Mediterranean Lawyers (AOM), Mr. Shabani requested that the students’ demands not be treated as a routine administrative issue. He placed the issue in its historical and legal context, as an essential pillar of the rule of law.

“The Ohrid Agreement was not simply an instrument to stop a conflict, but a new social contract to build a common and pluralistic state,” said Mr. Shabani.

"Knowing the language is respecting the existence and the right to be represented in the public space. Administrative procedures and political wills of the moment cannot be superimposed on rights acquired and exercised for years. Guaranteeing this right is a test for regional stability and a fundamental condition for the European integration of our societies," said the People's Advocate of Albania.

For his part, the People's Advocate of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Selami, informed that the institution he heads has launched an investigation on his own initiative and has raised the problem of the language law with the highest state instances. He expressed optimism for a quick and positive solution, which will enable Albanian students to take professional exams in their native language.

Mr. Selami also informed that a special report on the representation of Albanians in public institutions is being prepared.
At the end of the meeting, the three heads of institutions committed to close coordination in monitoring and protecting human freedoms in the region, as an inseparable part of European values.