Albanian ultranationalists quit Macedonian government over Kosovo
The ultranationalist Democratic Party of Albanians (PDsh) has pulled out of Macedonia’s government over demands that include an immediate recognition of neighboring Kosovo, social welfare for former rebels and making Albanian a second official language.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Friday, March 14, 2008
"The decision to leave the government is final and irrevocable," party leader Menduh Thaqi said after the meeting in the Skopje's suburb of Saraj, which is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian.
The Macedonian political scene has been tense ever since Pristina unilaterally declared the independence from Serbia in mid-February, largely due to the obvious gap between the Macedonian majority and the ethnic Albanian minority which comprises roughly a quarter of country's 2 million population, which demands have now been boosted.
Thaqi said senior PDSh officials had "unanimously accepted" his proposal to quit the government, in a move widely seen as a deliberate attempt to destabilize Macedonia in the aftermath of Kosovo's unilateral decision to declare the independence.
PDSH's decision to quit the government came amid U.S.-sponsored diplomatic initiative aimed towards Macedonia's accession into NATO - a move which will largely annul the possibility of division of the tiny Balkan state between Macedonians and Albanians.
PDSh, formerly led by ultranationalist Arben Xhaferi has often been accused of wanting to secede the country's Albanian-dominated western part and possibly join neighboring Kosovo.
